Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- National Bank for Foreign Economic Activity of Uzbekistan (NBU) said its loan portfolio reached 2.265 trillion soums at the end of the third quarter of 2009. In line with loan policy of the bank, the loans were directed to develop priority industries of economy, finance modernization of existing and creation of new effective capacities, support small businesses, production of import-replacing goods, etc.

The bank said it issued US$316.8 million loans in hard currency and over 519.9 billion soums in nine months of 2009 to realize measures on preventing and eliminating global financial crisis, envisaged in anti-crisis programme, further raising capitalization and sustainability of enterprises of real economy.

NBU also carried out on financing and crediting of the project due to refinancing of foreign banks’ resources. In nine months of 2009, the bank served 142 foreign loans on 106 investment projects for US$3.13 billion (in equivalent).

Within programme on supporting and developing small businesses, the bank considered and accepting to financing projects due to loans of foreign banks and financial institutions, off-budget funds of Uzbekistan and own resources of the bank. Currently, the bank finances 229 projects for US$504.8 million.

NBU said the deposit volume of individuals in soum equivalent grew by 32 billion soums in nine months of 2009 and reached 289 billion soums as of 1 October 2009.

NBU issued 322,800 banking cards in January-September 2009 and total number of banking cards reached 1.642 million. The volume of transactions in the reporting period comprised 339.4 billion soums. The bank installed 5,341 terminals at trade and service points, banks’ branches, etc.

The bank said it received 66.7 billion soums of payments to communal and other services, which is up 1.4 times year-on-year.