The situation on the credit market versus the rate of economic growth in chosen countries of East-Central Europe

The article concerns the comparative analysis concerning credit market situation on the background of economic growth changes in Poland, the Czech Republic, Lithuania and Hungary. The main objective of this article is to identify the similarities and differences in the economic situation of the whole economies and credits market conditions in individual countries. This relationship has been verified for each country. To determine the strength of the relationship between the dynamics of changes in the value of credits and GDP, Pearson correlation analysis was used. The basis of the analysis presented in the article was data from central banks, Central Statistical Office and Eurostat. Time horizon under investigation covered the period of 2004-2013. The results of analysis indicate that both the economic condition of entire economies, as well as the situation in the credit market remained diverse in all analyzed countries. Among the most significant similarities there was found that changes in the rate of economic growth in the analyzed countries remained at a moderate depending on the dynamics of changes in the credit market. Although the analyzed countries experienced a financial crisis, not all of them recorded a negative growth rate of GDP and credits.