Quarterly ROE of the banking industry in Belgium 2014-2023
Between the fourth quarter of 2014 and the fourth quarter of 2023, the banking industry in Belgium witnessed significant fluctuations in return on equity (ROE). In the observed period, the ROE of the Belgian banking industry generally fluctuated between five and 10 percent, with periodic drops and hikes. The most notable drop took place in the first quarter of 2021, when the ROE was negative 2.8 percent. This poor performance was linked to the economic contraction caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The ROE stabilized after the second quarter of 2021, reaching its highest value in the observed period in the second quarter of 2023 at 14.4 percent.