Preliminary data show that domestic liquidity (M3) grew by 6.2 percent year-on-year to about P11.9 trillion in August 2019, slightly slower than the 6.7-percent growth in July. On a month-on-month seasonally-adjusted basis, M3 increased by 0.3 percent.
Demand for credit remained the principal driver of money supply growth. Domestic claims grew by 6.2 percent in August from 5.8 percent in the previous month. This was due mainly to the sustained growth in credit to the private sector.
Loans for production activities continued to be driven by lending to key sectors such as real estate activities; financial and insurance activities; electricity, gas, steam and airconditioning supply; construction; and wholesale and retail trade, repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles.
Loans for household consumption increased due to the growth in credit card loans, motor vehicle loans, and salary-based general purpose consumption loans during the month.
Meanwhile, net claims on the central government grew by 2.1 percent following a 1.8-percent contraction in July, reflecting the increased borrowings by the National Government.
