DUSHANBE, January 3, 2013, Asia-Plus  -- The National Bank of Tajikistan (NBT) reports that Tajikistan saw bank deposits grow by 11.7 percent in the first eleven months of 2012, reflecting the expanding economy and rising public confidence in the banking sector.

According to data from Tajik central bank, deposits for a total amount of some 4.7 billion somoni were kept at banks in Tajikistan as of December 1, 2012.

Corporate deposits reportedly reached nearly 1.8 billion somoni (38.9 percent) and individual deposits more than 2.8 billion somoni (61.1 percent).

Over the report period, weighted average interest rate for the local currency deposits has been 15.73 percent and weighted average interest rate for the foreign currency deposits has been 12.94 percent.

Meanwhile, the remainder of loans provided by Tajik banks rose 9.2 percent in a year to December 1, 2012, reaching 5.1 billion somoni.

In the structure of the remainder, a share of long-term loans was 30.2 percent while the share of short-term loans was 69.8 percent, a source at Tajik central bank noted.

The weighted average interest rate for loans provided in the national currency was 21.8 percent and the weighted average interest rate for loans provided in foreign currencies was 24.71 percent.

Compared to January-November 2011, the volume of microloans provided by commercial banks over the first eleven months of last year increased by 31.8 percent.

Current Tajikistan’s banking system includes 18 financial institutions: Agroinvestbonk; Orienbonk; Amonatbonk (Tajikistan’s savings bank); Tojik Sodirot Bonk (TSB); Bank Eskhata; Sohibkorbonk; The First MicroFinanceBank; Branch of Iran’s Tejarat Bank; Tajikistan Development Bank (TDB);  Fononbonk; Kazkommertzbank-Tajikistan; Kafolatbonk; AccessBank Tajikistan; Kont; Branch of National Bank of Pakistan; Renessans-Capital; Trade Financing.