Euro-Area Loans to Firms Grow by Least Since 2015 on ECB Hikes
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Borrowing by companies in the euro zone grew at the slowest pace in almost eight years in August as evidence mounts that the European Central Bank’s historic bout of interest-rate hikes is restraining economic activity.
Credit to the corporate sector rose by only 0.6% from a year ago — down from 2.2% in July — the ECB said Wednesday in a statement. Lending to households slowed to 1% from 1.3%.