Banks loaned £446bn to ease crisis

ECB Mario Draghi
ECB Mario Draghi

The European Central Bank (ECB) has made £446 billion in low-interest loans to banks in the second round of a massive credit infusion that has been credited with easing the eurozone debt crisis.

The offer of credit for three years was taken up by 800 banks. The uptake was modestly higher than the £413 billion handed out to 523 banks at a first offering on December 21. Banks used some of the money from the first round of loans to buy government bonds.