The January 2025 bank lending survey was marked by tightening credit standards, shifting demand trends, and cautious lending practices. In the enterprise sector, credit standards tightened significantly (net 7 percent) in the fourth quarter of 2024, driven by heightened economic risks and reduced risk tolerance, especially in Germany and France. Despite easing in Italy, banks anticipate further tightening in the first quarter of 2025 (10 percent). Loan demand remained weak but rose slightly (net 3 percent), largely due to falling interest rates, although political and economic uncertainties continued to dampen demand.

For household lending, credit standards for housing loans stabilised, reflecting competition among banks, though risk perceptions tightened terms. Consumer credit standards also tightened (net 6 percent) amid concerns over asset quality, with Germany, France, and Spain tightening more than expected. Housing loan demand surged (net 42 percent), driven by declining rates and improving market prospects, signalling a recovery from previous declines. Consumer credit demand grew modestly (net 2 percent), supported by rate reductions, but confidence and durable spending remained weak.

Overall, lending terms eased for housing loans but remained unchanged for firms and consumer credit. Rejected loan applications increased for firms and consumer credit, highlighting cautious lending amid a fragile economic environment. Expectations for the first quarter of 2025 suggest further tightening and rising loan demand in key segments.

The European Central Bank's quarterly lending survey of around one hundred and forty banks aims to enhance the Eurosystem's knowledge of financing conditions in the Eurozone and so help the central bank to assess monetary and economic developments as an input into monetary policy decisions. The headline number refers to the net percentage of banks that have tightened their credit standards on lending to enterprises. It is designed to complement existing statistics on retail bank interest rates and credit with information on supply and demand conditions in the euro area credit markets and the lending policies of euro area banks. The survey addresses issues such as credit standards for approving loans as well as credit terms and conditions applied to enterprises and households. It also asks for an assessment of the conditions affecting credit demand.

Particularly in the wake of the Great Recession and the Covid-19 crisis, changes in financial market conditions can have a major say in central bank policy, and hence, the level of asset prices. The main focus is the net percentage of reporting banks indicating tightening credit standards or positive loan demand with regards to enterprises, house purchase and consumer credit. An unwanted tightening of standards or undesired fall in lending could prompt a softer monetary stance from the ECB, potentially entailing lower official short-term interest rates and possible efforts to reduce the cost of longer-term loans.