Lending 2024

The significant slowdown in 2023 could be followed by a recovery in the credit market in 2024. What could be the pace and structure of recovery? What are the government’s and the central bank’s promises and expectations in this regard? How will EU funds, the Hungarian Development Bank (MFB), and National Capital Holding take their share of the new funding cycle? 

How will banks' business prospects evolve as the high interest rate environment declines? A roundtable discussion featuring top-level market speakers’ ideas, as well as bank CEOs, always attended with great interest, helps to anticipate and understand the developments facing the banking sector and the credit market as a whole. 

Even with high inflation, consumer lending in Hungary has held up well, and personal loans have made a strong start to 2024. As a relative newcomer, the buy now, pay later (BNPL) phenomenon has also gained a foothold in Hungary, and the market as a whole is visibly expanding, with no small digital steps. Have the innovation opportunities and their business potential been exhausted, or are we on the verge of another consumer credit boom in the Hungarian market? What do Hungarian consumer attitudes and the potential of payment solutions promise? Senior executives from commercial banks' retail banking and credit intermediaries will share their thoughts with a professional audience. 

If there is a vulnerability in the global banking system, one of the first areas to be mentioned is commercial real estate finance. In Hungary, the risks in this sub-market appear to be much lower than in the US or Germany, but the banking sector is not entirely immune to the uncertainties in real estate demand, the price rollercoaster, and the challenges of the construction industry. How do banks and developers see the period ahead, and what problems are they facing in project real estate financing, including the office market and residential developments? The big players in this credit market segment will share their experiences and thoughts with us in the early afternoon session of the conference. 

The number one area of credit promotion in Hungary is SME lending, and accordingly, in a recessionary environment, subsidised loans have largely determined market developments. But now that interest rates are coming down again, what can we expect from the SME lending market? What can be expected on the market credit front and how will pricing incentives work? Leveraged corporate clients, bank corporate business units and SME executives will exchange views in the non-real estate focus session on corporate lending.    

The year 2024 has started with great momentum in housing lending in Hungary. But will lending rates continue to fall? What will be the impact of changes to home purchase subsidies, and what about government measures affecting household lending? How are home loan products and sales changing? What can be expected on the demand side and in the housing market? Does digitalisation help in the short term? Senior executives from commercial banks' retail banking and credit intermediaries will share their expectations and outline the challenges and business opportunities facing the housing credit market. 

The Hungarian economy concluded 2023 in a mild recession, with inflation coming off a European peak, and a high government deficit, only to start 2024 with a mixed performance, leaving considerable uncertainty about this year's prospects. Can we anticipate a strong recovery, and what can we expect this year in terms of GDP, inflation, the forint exchange rate, balance sheet indicators and financing? What macroeconomic developments will support or even limit the recovery of the credit market? Renowned economists and macroeconomists will share their thoughts at the closing of the Lending 2024 conference, in the form of lectures and panel discussions, similar to the whole event. 

Be our guest for a glass of champagne after the technical programme, and do not miss out on the networking opportunity with the conference’s participants and speakers!