The Riksbank to continue to offer dollar loans and to support banks’ corporate lending
It is important for the Riksbank to maintain preparedness to manage any deterioration in credit supply which could hamper the recovery of the Swedish economy. The Executive Board has therefore decided today that the Riksbank shall continue to offer loans to banks in US dollars. The Executive Board has also decided to revise the terms of the programme of funding to banks to support their lending to companies.
The various measures implemented by the Riksbank and other central banks during the crisis have given banks and companies ample opportunity to obtain low-interest funding in both Swedish kronor and US dollars. However, the pandemic is creating considerable uncertainty over future developments. If turmoil were to increase again, it could lead to another downturn in economic activity and lower inflation.
The Riksbank is now extending the programme that offers banks loans in US dollars. The previous decision on offering loans in US dollars to banks applies up to and including 31 March 2021. The offer has now been extended up to and including 30 September 2021 and is still valid for up to USD 60 billion.
Since 20 March 2020, the Riksbank has offered funding to banks to support their lending to Swedish companies (funding for lending). After a review of the details in this programme, the terms are now being revised in order to simplify and streamline the programme going forward. The last auction in the current programme of loans to banks for onward lending to companies is on 12 March 2021. As from the week beginning 22 March 2021, the Riksbank will offer funding to banks within the revised programme to support their corporate lending. Funding of SEK 50 billion will be offered as long as total funding within the new and the current programme does not exceed SEK 500 billion or until such time as further offers are no longer required.
From now on, the Riksbank will offer funding in both these programmes on a monthly basis. If the situation in the economy were to deteriorate, however, the Riksbank can offer the funding more often.
More information on the programmes and the terms can be found in annexes to minutes on riksbank.se.
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