BBVA in 2012

19 The trends in lending seen in 2012 in the business areas are summed up below:• The deleveraging process taking place in Spain, and which has been more acute in the latter partof the year, has been partly offset by the incorporation of Unnim balances at the end of July 2012,and the setting up of the fund to finance payments to suppliers. Overall, gross customer lending inthe area is down 1.5% over the previous 12 months.• Performance in Eurasia has been mixed: on the one hand, the wholesale segment in Europeand Asia, and, on the other hand, the retail portfolio, mainly focused on BBVA’s stake in Garanti.Lending activity in CIB declined by 29.9% over the year, due to the economic slowdown and itsselective growth strategy focused on certain customers and portfolios. In contrast, gross lendingto customers from Garanti is up 15.1% in the same period. At year-end, the loan book for the areahad declined 13.0%.• Mexico has maintained the rate of growth, largely stemming from retail portfolios. Growth isparticularly significant in consumer finance and cards and in small businesses. As a result, thearea’s lending has shown a positive rise of 8.6% year-on-year (at constant exchange rate).• South America continues to post significant growth in all geographical areas and in practicallyall portfolios, although the excellent performance in the retail segment is also worth pointing out.Overall, lending rose 18.6% over the year (at constant exchange rates).• The United States has once again performed strongly, underpinned by the positive trend in newloan production reported by BBVA Compass in its target portfolios, i.e. in commercial loans andresidential real estate. Therefore, and despite the continued slump in the construction real-estatesector, the loan book in BBVA Compass has grown 4.1% since the end of 2011 (also at constantexchange rates).In short, a domestic sector undergoing steadily declining quarter after quarter, against anon-domestic sector benefiting from the good performance in emerging economies.80 Group financial information