Financial Tribune - Iranian banks and credit institutions lent 3.58 quadrillion rials ($27.33 billion) to various sectors during the first seven months of the current fiscal that ended on October 22, the Central Bank of Iran said.

According to a report on the regulator's website, the loans were up by 445.2 trillion rials ($3.39 billion) or 14.2% compared to the corresponding period last year and were given to an estimated 5.22 million borrowers.

As usual, the services sector was at the top of the list with 2.91 million loans worth 1.46 quadrillion rials ($11.15 billion). It was followed by the industry and mine companies that borrowed 993.31 trillion rials ($7.58 billion).