M3, which measures money in circulation in the eurozone, grew at annual rate 8.5 per cent in July, the European Central Bank (ECB) said today.
The ECB said the money supply was holding near its historic highs, with 8.4 per cent recorded for June.
Credit to the private sector expanded in July in the euro zone in a sign that corporate and household borrowing will support a nascent recovery in Europe, reducing the need for further interest rate cuts.
The ECB said today that total loans and securities extended by financial institutions to euro area residents and governments rose to a 5.3 per cent annual rate in July before seasonal adjustment, up from 4.8 per cent in June.
Credit to the private sector rose more robustly, to 5.5 per cent from 5.1 per cent in June, with the bulk of the gains coming from securities other than equities. Loans rose slightly to 4.9 per cent from 4.5 per cent.
However, money supply numbers have proven increasingly unreliable as a short-term indicator of growth and inflation prospects as banking and financing opportunities change, so it now plays a less pivotal role in ECB monetary policy decisions.