Amid a general slowdown in construction and real estate industry and poor credit offtake, the housing finance industry remains bullish about growth hoping to disburse over 10 per cent more loans in 2008-09 as compared with the previous year.

'There won’t be contraction in numbers for the year and the industry will end the year with growth,' said Keki M Mistry, vice chairman and managing director, HDFC.

'While growth has slowed in the second half of financial year 2008-09, the industry will end with a growth of around 10% as a result of the decent growth in the first half,' said Rahul Mallick, managing director and chief executive officer, ICICI Home Finance Company.

Hindustan Times