Bank loans shrink by Sh200 billion as interest rates soar

The reduction in lending signals a reduced pace of investment and consumption.

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Commercial banks’ loan book shrank by about Sh200 billion in the five months to June as potential borrowers held back due to high interest rates and an appreciating shilling devalued dollar-denominated loans.

The reduction in lending signals a reduced pace of investment and consumption, slowing down growth at a time when the economy is absorbing the impact of protests and uncertainty surrounding tax policy.

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