A data processor (200) includes an operation execution unit (225) for executing instructions from an instruction memory (210) indicated by a program counter (220). A loop control circuit (230) stores respective associated loop information for a plurality of instruction loops in a register bank (232). The loop information includes at least an indication of an end of the loop and a loop count for indicating a number of times the loop should be executed. The loop control circuit (230) detects that one of the loops needs to be executed and in response to said detection, loads the loop information for the corresponding loop, and controls the program counter to execute the corresponding loop according to the loaded loop information. The loop information is initialized in response to a loop initialization instruction (240), where the initialization instruction is issued prior to and independent of a start of the loop initialized by the loop information.
