‎CBUAE sees positive outlook for UAE's lending activity in Q3 2026

‎<p ><span ><span class="ckeCaption" ><img src="https://argaamplus.s3.amazonaws.com/cd30db8e-4101-4a35-9486-8ba1c8843f91.png" ><br> Central Bank of the UAE building</span></span></p> <hr> <p dir="ltr" ><span ><span >A credit sentiment survey by the CBUAE indicated positive expectations for lending activity in the UAE during Q3 2026, amid anticipated growth in demand for financing and improved risk appetite among financial institutions, following sustained demand for credit in Q2.<span dir="LTR">.</span></span></span><br> <br> <span >The quarterly survey is based on feedback from senior credit officers at banks and financial institutions providing financing in the country. It gauges current credit conditions and institutional expectations for the following quarter</span><span dir="LTR" >.</span></p> <p dir="ltr" ><br> <strong >Corporate loans</strong></p> <p dir="ltr" ><br> <span ><span >Financial institutions expect a strong rebound in demand for corporate loans in Q3, with net demand expectations rising to 22.7<span dir="LTR">%</span>. These forecasts point to a recovery in demand across all company segments, with the largest improvement expected among small and medium-sized enterprises, followed by large corporates and government-related entities<span dir="LTR">.</span></span></span><br> </p> <table align="center" border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" dir="ltr" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr > <td colspan="2" > <p dir="ltr" ><span ><span ><strong>Expected demand for business loans in Q3 2026 (</strong><strong><span dir="LTR">%</span></strong><strong> of total)</strong></span></span></p> </td> </tr> <tr > <td > <p dir="ltr" ><span ><span ><strong><span >Company</span></strong></span></span></p> </td> <td > <p align="center" dir="ltr" ><span ><span ><strong><span >Net demand projection (</span></strong><strong><span dir="LTR"><span >%</span></span></strong><strong><span >)</span></strong></span></span></p> </td> </tr> <tr > <td > <p dir="ltr" ><span ><span ><strong><span >Small and medium-sized enterprises</span></strong></span></span></p> </td> <td > <p align="center" dir="ltr" ><span ><span ><span >22.2 </span><span dir="LTR"><span >%</span></span></span></span></p> </td> </tr> <tr > <td > <p dir="ltr" ><span ><span ><strong><span >Large enterprises</span></strong></span></span></p> </td> <td > <p align="center" dir="ltr" ><span ><span ><span >20.6 </span><span dir="LTR"><span >%</span></span></span></span></p> </td> </tr> <tr > <td > <p dir="ltr" ><span ><span ><strong><span >Government-related entities</span></strong></span></span></p> </td> <td > <p align="center" dir="ltr" ><span ><span ><span >18.7 </span><span dir="LTR"><span >%</span></span></span></span></p> </td> </tr> <tr > <td > <p dir="ltr" ><span ><span ><strong><span >All companies</span></strong></span></span></p> </td> <td > <p align="center" dir="ltr" ><span ><span ><span >22.7 </span><span dir="LTR"><span >%</span></span></span></span></p> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <div ><br> <span >Financial institutions expect increased demand for loans across all economic sectors in Q3, with manufacturing, electricity, gas and water, as well as retail and wholesale trade, leading this improvement.</span><span dir="LTR" >.</span><br> </div> <table align="center" border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" dir="ltr" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr > <td colspan="2" > <p dir="ltr" ><span ><span ><strong>Expected demand for business loans by sector in Q3 2026 (</strong><strong><span dir="LTR">%</span></strong><strong> of total)</strong></span></span></p> </td> </tr> <tr > <td > <p dir="ltr" ><span ><span ><strong><span >Sector</span></strong></span></span></p> </td> <td > <p align="center" dir="ltr" ><span ><span ><strong><span >Net demand expectations (</span></strong><strong><span dir="LTR"><span >%</span></span></strong><strong><span >)</span></strong></span></span></p> </td> </tr> <tr > <td > <p dir="ltr" ><span ><span ><strong><span >Manufacturing</span></strong></span></span></p> </td> <td > <p align="center" dir="ltr" ><span ><span ><span >23.8 </span><span dir="LTR"><span >%</span></span></span></span></p> </td> </tr> <tr > <td > <p dir="ltr" ><span ><span ><strong><span >Electricity, gas, and water</span></strong></span></span></p> </td> <td > <p align="center" dir="ltr" ><span ><span ><span >22.4 </span><span dir="LTR"><span >%</span></span></span></span></p> </td> </tr> <tr > <td > <p dir="ltr" ><span ><span ><strong><span >Wholesale and Retail Trade</span></strong></span></span></p> </td> <td > <p align="center" dir="ltr" ><span ><span ><span >21.0 </span><span dir="LTR"><span >%</span></span></span></span></p> </td> </tr> <tr > <td > <p dir="ltr" ><span ><span ><strong><span >Construction</span></strong></span></span></p> </td> <td > <p align="center" dir="ltr" ><span ><span ><span >19.4 </span><span dir="LTR"><span >%</span></span></span></span></p> </td> </tr> <tr > <td > <p dir="ltr" ><span ><span ><strong><span >Financials (excluding banks)</span></strong></span></span></p> </td> <td > <p align="center" dir="ltr" ><span ><span ><span >14.9 </span><span dir="LTR"><span >%</span></span></span></span></p> </td> </tr> <tr > <td > <p dir="ltr" ><span ><span ><strong><span >Transportation, Storage, and Telecoms</span></strong></span></span></p> </td> <td > <p align="center" dir="ltr" ><span ><span ><span >14.5 </span><span dir="LTR"><span >%</span></span></span></span></p> </td> </tr> <tr > <td > <p dir="ltr" ><span ><span ><strong><span >Real estate development</span></strong></span></span></p> </td> <td > <p align="center" dir="ltr" ><span ><span ><span >11.5 </span><span dir="LTR"><span >%</span></span></span></span></p> </td> </tr> <tr > <td > <p dir="ltr" ><span ><span ><strong><span >Mining and stone extraction</span></strong></span></span></p> </td> <td > <p align="center" dir="ltr" ><span ><span ><span >6.2 </span><span dir="LTR"><span >%</span></span></span></span></p> </td> </tr> <tr > <td > <p dir="ltr" ><span ><span ><strong><span >Other sectors</span></strong></span></span></p> </td> <td > <p align="center" dir="ltr" ><span ><span ><span >18.5 </span><span dir="LTR"><span >%</span></span></span></span></p> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <div ><br> <span >The survey results also indicated that working capital requirements and government-related spending continued to support demand for corporate financing, along with a lesser contribution from interest rates.</span></div> <p dir="ltr" ><br> <span ><span >Financial institutions expect an improvement in corporate lending appetite during Q3, with net expectations for lending appetite rising to 7.5<span dir="LTR">%</span>.</span></span><br> </p> <table align="center" border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" dir="ltr" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr > <td colspan="2" > <p dir="ltr" ><span ><span ><strong>Expectations for improved corporate lending appetite in Q3 (<span dir="LTR">%</span> of total)</strong></span></span></p> </td> </tr> <tr > <td > <p dir="ltr" ><span ><span ><strong><span >Company</span></strong></span></span></p> </td> <td > <p align="center" dir="ltr" ><span ><span ><strong><span >Net lending expectations</span></strong></span></span><strong > (<span ><span dir="LTR">%</span></span><span >)</span></strong></p> </td> </tr> <tr > <td > <p dir="ltr" ><span ><span ><strong><span >Small and medium enterprises</span></strong></span></span></p> </td> <td > <p align="center" dir="ltr" ><span ><span ><span >11.8 </span><span dir="LTR"><span >%</span></span></span></span></p> </td> </tr> <tr > <td > <p dir="ltr" ><span ><span ><strong><span >Large companies</span></strong></span></span></p> </td> <td > <p align="center" dir="ltr" ><span ><span ><span >9.6 </span><span dir="LTR"><span >%</span></span></span></span></p> </td> </tr> <tr > <td > <p dir="ltr" ><span ><span ><strong><span >All companies</span></strong></span></span></p> </td> <td > <p align="center" dir="ltr" ><span ><span ><span >7.5 </span><span dir="LTR"><span >%</span></span></span></span></p> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <div ><br> <strong >Personal loans</strong></div> <p dir="ltr" ><br> <span ><span >Positive expectations also extend to the personal finance sector. The survey results indicate strong recovery in personal loan demand in Q3, with net demand expectations reaching 25.3<span dir="LTR">%</span>.</span></span></p> <p dir="ltr" ><br> <span ><span >Demand is expected to increase across all categories of personal loans, with the highest anticipated rise in demand for credit cards, followed by housing loans and other personal loans.</span></span><br> </p> <table align="center" border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" dir="ltr" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr > <td colspan="2" > <p dir="ltr" ><span ><span ><strong>Personal loan demand forecasts for Q3 2026 (</strong><strong><span dir="LTR">%</span></strong><strong> of total)</strong></span></span></p> </td> </tr> <tr > <td > <p dir="ltr" ><span ><span ><strong><span >Categories</span></strong></span></span></p> </td> <td > <p align="center" dir="ltr" ><span ><span ><strong><span >Net demand forecasts (</span></strong><strong><span dir="LTR"><span >%</span></span></strong><strong><span >)</span></strong></span></span></p> </td> </tr> <tr > <td > <p dir="ltr" ><span ><span ><strong><span >Credit card</span></strong></span></span></p> </td> <td > <p align="center" dir="ltr" ><span ><span ><span >31.6 </span><span dir="LTR"><span >%</span></span></span></span></p> </td> </tr> <tr > <td > <p dir="ltr" ><span ><span ><strong><span >All households</span></strong></span></span></p> </td> <td > <p align="center" dir="ltr" ><span ><span ><span >25.3 </span><span dir="LTR"><span >%</span></span></span></span></p> </td> </tr> <tr > <td > <p dir="ltr" ><span ><span ><strong><span >Housing – owner-occupied</span></strong></span></span></p> </td> <td > <p align="center" dir="ltr" ><span ><span ><span >23.6 </span><span dir="LTR"><span >%</span></span></span></span></p> </td> </tr> <tr > <td > <p dir="ltr" ><span ><span ><strong><span >Housing – investment</span></strong></span></span></p> </td> <td > <p align="center" dir="ltr" ><span ><span ><span >19.0 </span><span dir="LTR"><span >%</span></span></span></span></p> </td> </tr> <tr > <td > <p dir="ltr" ><span ><span ><strong><span >Housing – other (including refinancing and renovations)</span></strong></span></span></p> </td> <td > <p align="center" dir="ltr" ><span ><span ><span >18.7 </span><span dir="LTR"><span >%</span></span></span></span></p> </td> </tr> <tr > <td > <p dir="ltr" ><span ><span ><strong><span >Car loan</span></strong></span></span></p> </td> <td > <p align="center" dir="ltr" ><span ><span ><span >15.8 </span><span dir="LTR"><span >%</span></span></span></span></p> </td> </tr> <tr > <td > <p dir="ltr" ><span ><span ><strong><span >Non-residential investment </span></strong></span></span></p> </td> <td > <p align="center" dir="ltr" ><span ><span ><span >15.6 </span><span dir="LTR"><span >%</span></span></span></span></p> </td> </tr> <tr > <td > <p dir="ltr" ><span ><span ><strong><span >Personal loans – other</span></strong></span></span></p> </td> <td > <p align="center" dir="ltr" ><span ><span ><span >19.5 </span><span dir="LTR"><span >%</span></span></span></span></p> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <div ><br> <span >Financial institutions also expect an improvement in personal lending appetite in the third quarter, with net lending appetite expectations rising to 13.3</span><span dir="LTR" >%</span><span >. The improvement is expected across all personal finance categories, especially in credit cards and housing loans, where the greatest improvement in lending appetite is anticipated</span><span dir="LTR" >.</span><br> </div> <table align="center" border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" dir="ltr" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr > <td colspan="2" > <p dir="ltr" ><span ><span ><strong>Expected improvement in appetite for granting personal loans during Q3 (<span dir="LTR">%</span> of total)</strong></span></span></p> </td> </tr> <tr > <td > <p dir="ltr" ><span ><span ><strong><span >Category</span></strong></span></span></p> </td> <td > <p align="center" dir="ltr" ><span ><span ><strong><span >Net expected</span></strong></span></span><strong > lending (</strong><strong ><span dir="LTR">%</span></strong><strong >)</strong></p> </td> </tr> <tr > <td > <p dir="ltr" ><span ><span ><strong><span >Housing – owner-occupied</span></strong></span></span></p> </td> <td > <p align="center" dir="ltr" ><span ><span ><span >18.0 </span><span dir="LTR"><span >%</span></span></span></span></p> </td> </tr> <tr > <td > <p dir="ltr" ><span ><span ><strong><span >Credit card</span></strong></span></span></p> </td> <td > <p align="center" dir="ltr" ><span ><span ><span >16.7 </span><span dir="LTR"><span >%</span></span></span></span></p> </td> </tr> <tr > <td > <p dir="ltr" ><span ><span ><strong><span >Housing – other (includes refinancing and renovations)</span></strong></span></span></p> </td> <td > <p align="center" dir="ltr" ><span ><span ><span >13.8 </span><span dir="LTR"><span >%</span></span></span></span></p> </td> </tr> <tr > <td > <p dir="ltr" ><span ><span ><strong><span >All households</span></strong></span></span></p> </td> <td > <p align="center" dir="ltr" ><span ><span ><span >13.3 </span><span dir="LTR"><span >%</span></span></span></span></p> </td> </tr> <tr > <td > <p dir="ltr" ><span ><span ><strong><span >Housing – investment</span></strong></span></span></p> </td> <td > <p align="center" dir="ltr" ><span ><span ><span >11.6 </span><span dir="LTR"><span >%</span></span></span></span></p> </td> </tr> <tr > <td > <p dir="ltr" ><span ><span ><strong><span >Car loan</span></strong></span></span></p> </td> <td > <p align="center" dir="ltr" ><span ><span ><span >9.7 </span><span dir="LTR"><span >%</span></span></span></span></p> </td> </tr> <tr > <td > <p dir="ltr" ><span ><span ><strong><span >Non-residential investment </span></strong></span></span></p> </td> <td > <p align="center" dir="ltr" ><span ><span ><span >1.6 </span><span dir="LTR"><span >%</span></span></span></span></p> </td> </tr> <tr > <td > <p dir="ltr" ><span ><span ><strong><span >Personal loans – others</span></strong></span></span></p> </td> <td > <p align="center" dir="ltr" ><span ><span ><span >11.3 </span><span dir="LTR"><span >%</span></span></span></span></p> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table>

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Argaam - UAE News · Trade Publication

Published

18th September 2026

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argaam.com

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