While credit-card spending has increased in Macau, the delinquency rate (amounts overdue for more than three months) has eased, Monetary Authority of Macao data shows.

Total credit-card turnover reached MOP4.9 billion (US$608 million) in the second quarter, up 2.1 per cent quarter to quarter and 8.9 per cent year on year.

Local cash advance turnover reached MOP225.2 million, nearly 4.6 per cent of total card turnover.

Credit card repayments, including interest and fees, totalled about MOP4.8 billion – down 6.6 per cent from the first quarter but up 8.1 per cent from the same period last year. The ratio of overdue amounts remained low, dropping to 1.37 per cent at the end of June, down from 1.46 per cent at the end of the previous quarter.

With more dual- and triple-currency cards, the total number of personal credit cards in circulation was 1,134,044 at the end of June. This was an increase of 3.7 per cent over the previous quarter earlier or 12.3 per cent year on year.

Pataca (MOP) cards rose by 11.4 per cent to 796,992, Hong Kong dollar (HKD) cards increased by 10.2 per cent to 94,725 while renminbi (RMB) cards grew by 16.2 per cent to 242,327.

Banks had granted about MOP27.3 billion in card limits by the end of the quarter, up 3.6 per cent since the end of March and a 15.5 per cent increase from a year earlier.

Credit-card receivables amounted to MOP2.5 billion, of which rollover reached MOP751.7 million, nearly 30.5 per cent of receivables.