Bank lending to households in the Eurozone rose 3% year-on-year to €7.175 trillion in February 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 increased to 2.9% in February from 2.8%. Combined, overall credit growth to the private sector, covering both households and non-financial corporations, stood at 3.3%, compared with 3.4% in the previous month.