In the first half of 2015 Center-invest Bank lent a total of RUB47bn to retail and business customers in southern Russia.

Of this, RUB39.3bn was lent to SMEs, self-employed individuals and new entrepreneurs, and RUB7.6bn was lent to households. Providing financial support for southern Russia’s real economy and local population is part of the bank’s sustainable development strategy.

Center-invest Bank is a market leader for energy efficiency finance, SME lending, and loans for the introduction of new technologies in the agricultural sector.

To support new entrepreneurs Center-invest Bank continues to provide finance on preferential terms under its Start-Up and Youth Business Russia programmes (to date, 371 loans for a total of RUB500m) and the Business Loans for Women programme (218 loans for a total of RUB262m).