For comparison purposes, figures for the 2005 financial year are included, corresponding to 31 banking groups, as information for the first quarter of that year adjusted to the new accounting regulations is not available. The number of groups publishing their statements in the first quarter is lower than the previous year because the obligation to publish consolidated statements is semi-annual, unless they choose to publish them quarterly.
Balance sheet expansion was driven by loans to customers, which grew at a rate of over 18%, with a higher percentage in secured operations; as a result, their weight in the balance sheet became 59.6%, three points higher than a year earlier. On the liabilities side, customer funds increased by an average of 16%, mainly due to those raised through the issuance of negotiable securities.
