BPI: Consumer loans to slow as economic activity softens

Consumer loan growth is expected to lose some momentum next year as softer economic activity, global uncertainties and shifting borrower sentiment weigh on demand, Bank of the Philippine Islands executives said.

- By KEISHA TA-ASAN

BPI head of consumer banking Maria Cristina Go said weaker consumer confidence could temper loan expansion in 2026 even as interest rates continue to ease.

“We will be cautiously optimistic,” she said in an interview on the sidelines of BPI’s Kaya Care launch. “It will grow. It will continue to grow, at least we are optimistic about the growth, but not at the same rate as what we’ve seen this year.”

Go said BPI expects consumer and other non-institutional loans to expand by 10 to 15 percent next year, roughly half of this year’s pace, as households reassess big-ticket purchases amid a volatile global backdrop.