Turning to the main counterparts of M3 on the asset side of the consolidated balance sheet of the MFI sector, the annual growth rate of total credit granted to euro area residents decreased to 2.4% in December 2009, from 2.7% in the previous month. The annual rate of growth of credit extended to general government decreased to 11.2% in December, from 13.2% in November, while the annual growth of credit extended to the private sector stood at 0.7% in December, compared with 0.6% in the previous month. Among the components of the latter, the annual rate of change of loans to the private sector increased to 0.0% in December, from -0.7% in the previous month (adjusted for loan sales and securitisation the annual growth rate of loans to the private sector increased to 0.3%, from 0.1% in the previous month). The annual rate of change of loans to non-financial corporations decreased to -2.3% in December, from -1.9% in November. The annual growth rate of loans to households increased to 1.3% in December, from 0.5% in the previous month. The annual rate of growth of lending for house purchase increased to 1.5% in December, from 0.3% in the previous month. The annual rate of change of consumer credit increased to - 0.1% in December, from -1.0% in November, while the annual growth rate of other lending to households decreased to 1.7% in December, from 2.5% in the previous month. Finally, the annual rate of growth of loans to non-monetary financial intermediaries (except insurance corporations and pension funds) increased to 5.5% in December, from 0.3% in the previous month.
Over the 12 months up to December 2009, the net external asset position of the euro area MFI sector increased by EUR 154 billion, compared with an increase of EUR 59 billion over the 12 months up to November. The annual rate of growth of longer-term financial liabilities of the MFI sector decreased to 6.7% in December, from 7.2% in November.
