Private Sector Credit Extension (PSCE)

Mortgage advances and credit for fixed asset purchases remain subdued. Despite a total interest rate reduction of 175 basis points since September 2024 – and an additional 25-basis point cut on 29 May 2025 – property demand has been sluggish. Elevated consumer debt levels, stagnant wages, and rising living costs have limited strong recovery. Nonetheless, the full benefits of lower rates are expected to materialise later in 2025 as household disposable incomes improve, supported by positive market sentiment.

In May, instalment credit sales rose nearly 1% month-on-month, following a 0.3% increase in April, with an annual growth rate of 6.2%. Over the past two years, consumers have increasingly relied on short-term credit to manage rising living expenses, reflected in a 7.0% increase in other loans and advances – up from 6.6% in April.

Growth in property and fixed asset purchases remains modest; mortgage advances grew just 3.5% in May, consistent with April. This subdued activity originates from late-2023, when rising interest rates constrained property demand. However, with recent rate cuts, especially the 25-basis point reduction in May, and further easing anticipated, demand for property and fixed assets is expected to increase as household incomes stabilise and grow.

With inflation remaining favourable, ongoing rate reductions should further boost disposable incomes, fostering increased demand for goods and fixed assets into the second quarter of 2025 onwards.