Euro area borrowing costs showed mixed but generally stable trends in February 2026, according to the European Central Bank.
The composite cost of borrowing for companies declined slightly by 6 basis points to 3.51%, driven mainly by lower rates on short-term and medium-term loans, while long-term loan rates increased. Corporate deposit rates remained unchanged at 1.91% for fixed-term deposits and 0.52% for overnight deposits.
For households, borrowing costs for home purchases were broadly stable at 3.37%, with only minor changes across different fixation periods. Consumer loan rates, however, decreased to 7.51%.
On the savings side, household deposit rates were largely unchanged, with fixed-term deposits at 1.83% and overnight deposits at 0.25%, though some short-notice deposit rates saw a slight decline.
Overall, the data suggest a stabilisation in euro area interest rates, with only modest movements in lending and deposit conditions for both businesses and households.
(ecb.europa.eu)
