Bank lending to companies rose by 8.7% in August from 7.6% in July, while lending to households grew at a steady 4.5%, the data showed.

The ECB started raising interest rates in July to try to cool record-high inflation but so far this has not discouraged borrowing from banks, which have been slower than financial markets in raising their lending rates.

(Reporting By Francesco Canepa; Editing by Alex Richardson)