The Bank of Italy published its updated Banks and Money national data for May 2026, showing a further pickup in credit growth to the private sector. Lending to the private sector, adjusted under the European System of Central Banks harmonized methodology, rose 3.1 percent year on year, up from 2.8 percent in April. Household lending grew 2.6 percent, unchanged from the previous month, while lending to non-financial corporations accelerated to 3.5 percent from 3.1 percent. On the funding side, private sector deposits increased 2.7 percent year on year, down slightly from 2.9 percent, and bond funding rose 4.1 percent from 4.2 percent. The release also shows mixed movements in borrowing costs. The annual percentage rate of charge on new house purchase loans to households increased to 3.96 percent from 3.91 percent, while the share of those loans with an initial rate fixation period of up to one year fell to 18.7 percent from 21.2 percent. The APRC on new consumer loans edged down to 10.37 percent from 10.41 percent. Rates on new lending to non-financial corporations rose to 3.67 percent from 3.56 percent, with loans of up to EUR 1 million priced at 4.34 percent and larger loans at 3.25 percent. The rate on outstanding deposits was unchanged at 0.65 percent. The Bank of Italy also noted comparability changes in the series. Bulgaria's entry into the euro area in January 2026 affected the publication's time series, and Table 1.9 on loans by branch of economic activity is now compiled under the Ateco 2025 classification, with estimates for January 2022 through December 2025 revised in the February 2026 release after methodological improvements.

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