OREANDA-NEWS. September 16, 2009. In 2009, VTB Group acting under the relative instruction of the Russian government continued to support the Russian economy. In August, total loans made by the Russian banks of VTB Group to their corporate customers and households exceeded RUB 144 billion, reported the press-centre of VTB Bank.

VTB Bank, the Parent Bank of VTB Group, provided Russian companies with loans amounting to RUB 101.8 billion. As of the end of August, VTB Bank “Lending to Economy” indicator, calculated under the Bank of Russia methods, reached RUB 1,419.4 billion, which is an increase of RUB 23.4 billion, or 1.7%, against the beginning of the month.

The largest loans of VTB Group went to the metallurgic industry (more than RUB 31.6 billion), oil and gas industry (more than RUB 23.9 billion), retail companies (more than RUB 8.8 billion), coal and mineral resources industry (about RUB 6.4 billion) and to enterprises of construction and construction material industries (more than RUB 5 billion).

Also, loans were provided to defense and industry complex and space industry (about RUB 6.5 billion), as well as to agribusiness companies (more than RUB 2 billion). Mid-size and small businesses received loans exceeding RUB 4.2 billion.

VTB Group continued its activities aimed at supporting households, who, in August 2009, got loans exceeding RUB 16.9 billion, with more than RUB 0.6 billion accounting for mortgage lending, and more than RUB 1.7 billion – for car lending.