Bank lending to households in the Eurozone rose 3% year-on-year to €7.156 trillion in January 2026, below market expectations of 3.1%. The increase reflects a continued recovery in credit demand, supported by the European Central Bank’s recent policy easing. Lending to businesses decreased to 2.8% in January from 3%. Combined, overall credit growth to the private sector, covering both households and non-financial corporations, stood at 3.3%, unchanged from the previous month.