OREANDA-NEWS. July 28, 2014. In June, Estonians' home loan portfolio was bigger than it was a year before that, a sign that new loans are being taken faster than older ones are being paid back.

The home loan portfolio shrank during the recession, but the drop ended last year and now the growth has been continuous since the second half of 2013.

It's been rather modest - 1.7 percent in June, and 1.6 percent in the two months before that, the central bank said.

A total of 66 million euros in new housing loans were taken in June, which is the same level. Interest rates remain extremely favorable.

Companies' loan and leasing portfolios grew in nearly all sectors - 4.3 percent overall. And banks' loan portfolio quality is still improving, with the share of loans over 60 days past due dropping 0.1 percentage point to 1.7 percent.