Claims under financial lease contracts in Bulgaria amounted to 4.777 billion leva as at the end of June 2008, compared to 2.598 bln leva at the end of June 2007, data of the Bulgarian National Bank (BNB) showed.

Their amount increased by 83.9% over this period and their relative share in the total volume of claims under financial lease contracts grew from 98.1% to 98.6%.

The total amount of the financial lease contracts concluded during the second quarter of 2008 stood at 1.138 billion leva. It was 72.7% higher than the amount in the same period of 2007.

Claims by type of asset

Claims under contracts for financial lease of Cars amounted to 1.643 bln leva at the end of June 2008. Compared to June 2007, their volume increased by 94.9%, and their share in the total amount of claims under financial lease grew from 32.4% to 34.4%.

Claims under contracts for financial lease of Machinery and industrial equipment rose by 62% to 1.296 bln leva as at the end of June 2008. Their share dropped from 30.8% at the end of June 2007 to 27.1% at the end of June 2008.

Claims under contracts for financial lease of Transport and commercial vehicles increased by 99.5% to 1.310 bln leva at the end of June 2008. Their relative share rose from 25.3% at the end of June 2007 to 27.4% at the end of June 2008.

Claims by sector

Claims under financial lease contracts of the Non-financial corporations sector came to 4.300 bln leva at the end of June 2008, up 88.3% compared to June 2007.

Their relative share in the total volume of claims under financial lease grew from 87.9% at the end of June 2007 to 90% at the end of June 2008. Claims on the Households and NPISHs sector picked up 49% in this period to 441.2 mln leva, while their share in the total amount of claims on residents decreased from 11.4% to 9.2%.

The share of claims under financial lease contracts with maturity of over one up to five years decreased from 84.8% at the end of June 2007 to 84.1% at the end of June 2008. Their amount increased by 82.4% in this period to 4.016 bln leva. The share of claims with maturity of over five years increased from 11.9% at the end of June 2007 to 13.7% at the end of June 2008. Their amount rose by 112.4% to 655.8 mln leva.

At the end of June 2008 leasing companies’ liabilities came to 5.978 bln leva, 85.9% of which are in the form of loans. Their amount increased by 89.7% to 5.135 bln leva at the end of June 2008.

Non-residents extended the major portion of loans at 90.3%. The total amount of debt securities issued stood at 111.6 mln leva at the end of June 2008, up 24.3% compared to June 2007.