The growth in credit given by banks to companies slowed to 2% in the third quarter, according to the latest figures published by the Dutch central bank.

Dutch banks lent €334bn to firms in the third quarter of 2008, a 2% rise on the year earlier period. This compares with a 4% rise in the second quarter of 2008 and 6% in the first quarter.
When credit to households and other financial organisations are taken into account, overall growth reached 7% in the third quarter, says the central bank. Mortgage lending stabilised at €6bn a month.