sql - MySQL groupwise MAX() returns unexpected results

Question

TABLE: LOAN

Loan_no     Amount        SSS_no              Loan_date

7           700.00        0104849222          2010-01-03 
8           200.00        0104849222          2010-02-28
9           300.00        0119611199          2010-11-18
10          150.00        3317131410          2012-11-28
11          600.00        0104849222          2011-01-03
14          175.00        3317131410          2012-12-05
15          260.00        3317131410          2013-02-08
16          230.00        0104849222          2013-03-06
17          265.00        0119611199          2011-04-30
18          455.00        3317131410          2013-03-10

---

DESIRED RESULTS:

I would want to retrieve the latest loan availed off by each person (identified by their SSS number). The results should be as follows:

Loan_no           Amount                SSS_no                Loan_date

16                230.00              0104849222              2013-03-06
17                265.00              0119611199              2011-04-30
18                455.00              3317131410              2013-03-10

---

QUERY # 1 USED:

SELECT * FROM loan GROUP BY SSS_no ORDER BY Loan_date DESC

MYSQL RESULT

Loan_no             Amount              SSS_no                  Loan_date

10                  150.00            3317131410                2012-11-28
9                   300.00            0119611199                2010-11-18
7                   700.00            0104849222                2010-01-03

---

QUERY # 2 USED:

SELECT Loan_no, Amount, SSS_no, max(Loan_date) FROM loan GROUP BY SSS_no

MYSQL RESULT

Loan_no            Amount                SSS_no                Loan_date

7                  700.00                0104849222            2013-03-06
9                  300.00                0119611199            2011-04-30
10                 150.00                3317131410            2013-03-10

Can anybody help me with my problem? Thanks.

Answer 1

Try this instead:

SELECT l1.*
FROM loan AS l1
INNER JOIN
(
   SELECT SSS_no, MAX(Loan_date) LatestDate
   FROM loan
   GROUP BY SSS_no
) AS l2  ON l1.SSS_no    = l2.SSS_no 
        AND l1.loan_date = l2.LatestDate;

SQL Fiddle Demo

This will give you:

| LOAN_NO | AMOUNT |     SSS_NO |  LOAN_DATE |
----------------------------------------------
|      16 |    230 |  104849222 | 2013-03-06 |
|      17 |    265 |  119611199 | 2011-04-30 |
|      18 |    455 | 3317131410 | 2013-03-10 |