Financial Aggregates March 2002

Credit provided to the private sector by financial intermediaries rose by 0.8 per cent in March, in seasonally adjusted terms, following a rise of 1.1 per cent in February. Total credit rose by 8.3 per cent over the year to March.

In seasonally adjusted terms M3 rose by 1.2 per cent and broad money rose by 0.3 per cent in March. Over the year to March, M3 rose by 13.9 per cent and broad money rose by 9.8 per cent.

Growth rates are reported after adjusting for the effects of the breaks in series recorded in the footnotes to tables. Figures showing the levels of financial aggregates are not adjusted for series breaks.

The introduction, by the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA), of new reporting forms for banks will lead to some data and presentational changes in the Financial Aggregates from next month. These will be discussed in the April Financial Aggregates media release.

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