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BRASILIA (Dow Jones)--Reflecting still difficult economic conditions in an ongoing recovery, Brazil's loan default rate increased for an eighth consecutive month in July despite falling credit rates registered during the period.
Brazil's central bank Wednesday reported the overall average default rate, which takes into account loans 90 days past due, rose to a new eight-year high of 5.9% in July from 5.7% in June. The July default rate was the highest since September 2000.
The bank said the default rate for individual borrowers remained at an all-time record during the month of 8.6%, while the rate for businesses rose to 3.8% from 3.4%.
The increase in defaults came even as the central bank continued to report progress in the reduction of average credit rates.
The central bank said average interest rates fell in July to 36.0% from 36.6% in response to easing local monetary policy. The bank said the average credit rate for businesses fell to 26.7% annually in July from 27.4% the previous month, while the rate for individuals fell to 44.9% from 45.6%.
The overall decrease in interest rates came as the Brazilian central bank continued to cut the country's reference Selic interest rate amid concerns over a sluggish economy.
Since January, the bank has cut the country's reference Selic interest rate 5.0 percentage points to 8.75% annually.
Brazil's overall credit volume, meanwhile, continued a long-running rise during the month.
According to central bank data, total available credit in Brazil, including government-directed and non-directed credit, rose 2.6% to 1.31 trillion Brazilian reals ($708 billion) in July, or the equivalent of 45.0% of gross domestic product. The July result represented the sixth consecutive month of increasing credit volume in Brazil. Compared with July 2008, total credit supply in Brazil has expanded 20.8%.
The central bank reported non-government-directed lending volume remained stable in July at BRL677.7 billion.
Lending to individual borrowers rose during the month to BRL298.6 billion from BRL294.4 billion in June, while lending to businesses fell to BRL379.0 billion from BRL383.3 billion.
Central bank officials Wednesday projected the country's overall lending would reach 47% of GDP by the end of the year as credit markets and consumer confidence recover.