Credit growth slows, gold loans boom, credit card debt mounts

As of June 30, 2024, India’s overall non-food credit growth experienced a decline, falling to 13.9% with a total of Rs 163.46 lakh crore, down from 16.3% a year earlier.

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This slowdown is attributed to an unfavourable base effect and a range of regulatory measures implemented by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).

The decline in the overall credit growth comes despite notable increases in certain sectors. Specifically, gold and housing loans have seen sharp rises. Gold loan outstanding surged by 30.5% to Rs 123,776 crore in June 2024, compared to Rs 94,872 crore the previous year, where growth was at 19.3%. Similarly, credit card outstanding increased by Rs 51,000 crore, reaching Rs 273,044 crore, although this represents a slower growth rate of 23.3%, down from 37.6% a year ago.

The RBI’s intervention plays a significant role in this credit dynamics. To manage risks associated with unsecured loans, including credit cards and nonbanking finance companies (NBFCs), the RBI increased risk weights by 25% up to 150% in November 2023. This measure aimed to address potential risks and slow down the rapid growth in these areas.