Banking index falls again amid bankers' concerns over economic growth

The domestic banking climate index, as measured by the private Pentor institute, fell for the third consecutive month to 26.6 points, a new seven-year low, because of worries over economic growth. "Bankers' opinions concerning the economic situation in February still remained quite grim," said Pentor's deputy chief Jerzy Gluszynski. The monthly survey, commissioned by the Polish Banking Association, polled roughly 200 bank managers and was carried out between Feb. 6 and 8. Among the biggest obstacles banks encounter to staying afloat in the sector, 74% of those polled pointed to high competition and the number of banks on the market, 66% named the lack of a simplified loan execution system, while 57% pointed to the government's unstable fiscal policy. (Reuters, Prawo i Gospodarka, p.1,9; Rzeczpospolita, p.B5) P.J.