Corporate lending and personal loans dominate bank credit growth in Q1: SBI Research
Mumbai, August 2
Corporate lending and personal loans together accounted for nearly two-thirds of incremental bank credit growth in the April-June quarter of FY27, with sectors such as petroleum, infrastructure, engineering and chemicals leading corporate borrowing, according to an SBI Research pre-Monetary Policy Committee report.
The report said corporate lending and personal loans contributed around 63 per cent of incremental bank credit growth during the quarter.
"The sectoral incremental credit growth data during Apr-June, 2026 indicates that 'industry and personal loans' has contributed ~63% of the incremental credit growth," SBI Research said in the report.
According to the report, lending to companies rose by Rs 1.87 lakh crore during the April-June period, with nearly half of the incremental corporate credit flowing to four sectors.
"Among industry, 'Petroleum, Coal Products and Nuclear Fuels', 'Infrastructure (especially Power)', 'Chemicals', and 'All Engineering' are contributing ~50% of the incremental industry credit," the report said.
The report showed that petroleum, coal products and nuclear fuels received the highest incremental credit of Rs 255 billion, followed by engineering (Rs 249 billion), infrastructure (Rs 217 billion) and chemicals (Rs 208 billion). Food processing, basic metals, transport equipment, construction and electronics also recorded notable growth in bank lending.
On the retail side, loans against gold jewellery emerged as the single largest contributor to personal loan growth.
"Among personal loans, 42% (Rs 742 bn out of Rs 1,738 bn) is contributed by 'loans against gold jewellery' alone," the report said.
The report further showed that overall gross bank credit increased by Rs 5.67 lakh crore during the April-June quarter. On an annual basis, credit to corporates classified under the industry segment grew 19.2 per cent, while personal loans rose 15.8 per cent, indicating sustained demand from both businesses and households.
SBI Research said the sectoral credit trends indicate that business investment and retail borrowing remained the principal drivers of bank lending growth in the first quarter of FY27.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Finally some positive news about infrastructure and petroleum sectors getting credit! This shows that businesses are confident about future demand. The power sector especially needs these funds for expansion. But I wish the report also mentioned how much is going to MSMEs - they are the backbone of our economy and need support too.
The 19.2% YoY growth in corporate credit is remarkable. India's capital expenditure cycle seems to be truly kicking in. The focus on petroleum and infrastructure aligns well with the government's push for energy security and infrastructure development. Though I'm curious how this translates to actual job creation on the ground.
Gold loan culture is deeply embedded in our society, especially in rural areas. It's a quick way to get funds for marriages, education, or farming needs. But banks should ensure they're not encouraging excessive borrowing against gold. The RBI should monitor this trend carefully to prevent any asset bubble. 🏦
While corporate credit growth is heartening, we shouldn't ignore that personal loans grew 15.8% - that's still substantial. Many middle-class families are taking loans for consumption rather than investment. The government and RBI need to focus on income generation so people don't fall into a debt trap. Just my two paise!
Good analysis by SBI Research. The fact that petroleum, infrastructure, engineering, and chemicals are leading shows we're moving towards a more industrial economy. However, I hope the banks are also doing proper risk assessment. We've seen in the past how aggressive lending can lead to NPAs. Balanced growth is the key! 🎯