Moody's Downgrades Lebanon Banking Outlook
إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية
International ratings agency Moody's on Monday downgraded to negative from stable the outlook on Lebanon's banking system, due in part to upheavals in the Arab world, especially in neighboring Syria.
Moody's said slower economic growth and the banks' asset and loan exposures to other regional countries experiencing political unrest or economic slowdown, such as Egypt and Jordan, contributed to the new rating.
"Although non-performing loans improved during 2006-10, it is now more likely that this trend will reverse," it said.
"In addition to the weakened domestic operating environment conditions, the banks, predominantly the larger ones, have material exposures to countries undergoing political transition or experiencing political unrest, particularly Syria and Egypt."
The rating agency added that it expects banks' profitability to come under pressure in the future as business activity eases causing a slowdown in credit growth and fee-generating income.
The Lebanese banking system is highly exposed to Lebanon's sovereign debt, estimated at more than 50 billion dollars, it said.
Mitigating some of the downside risks, Moody's said, is the banking system's liquidity buffers and resilient depositor base.
"Highly liquid assets and placements with predominantly international banks account for approximately 25 percent of total assets," it said.
"In addition, the sector retains a relatively stable funding structure driven by customer deposits, which account for approximately 90 percent of total liabilities."
It said the deposits are supported by the influx of remittances, which in 2010 accounted for 22 percent of GDP.
Remittances "have historically proven to be resilient even though the risk of capital flight increases during periods of political unrest," Moody's said.
05 December 2011, 17:06
11
It's uncanny every time Aoun get his grubby little hands on any part of the Lebanese government someone unequivocally will have to use some Der General bathroom cleaner on "the fan" as Der General is making a beeline to the nearest embassy without telling his fans.
05 December 2011, 20:26
01
The downgrade will cost tens of billions in interest hike compliment of Hizbollah/Aoun, in addition to $15 billion for Hizbollah's 2006 War, and over $30 billion in zero economic growth for five years at a time the region was booming and our growth should exceed 7% per year. Greater loss is transformation of our free entrepreneurial system into a state-controlled planned economy suffocating under bureaucratic incompetence and political corruption. Hizbollah is sucking the life out of freedom and democracy and FPM is sucking the life of our economy by its political mafia that perfected the art of influence peddling, blackmails and virulent corruption under disguise of reform. Hizbollah and FPM are adopting Syrian/Iranian economic model where public institutions are subject to political mafia benefiting people in power and click of profiteers. Where is accountability and transparent democracy. Hizb and Aoun duo are a lethal poison to our freedom, democracy, economy and prosperity.
06 December 2011, 15:45
00
You can try and twist this story to suit your political views because you probably know little else.
The truth is that the incompetence of the rating agencies was one of the main reasons for the financial crisis that has plagued the world for the last 5 years. In fact it it a little uglier than incompetence; banks and other institutions "convinced" the agencies to give their products ridiculously optimistic ratings (e.g. AAA rating for Barclays' CDOs 5-6 years ago).
Rating agencies have lost all credibility. When it comes to negative outlook, you should be looking at the banking sectors of most European Countries, as for Lebanon, its banking sector is more than just stable, it is good.
Banks in Lebanon are highly capitalized, conservative in their risk taking and have learnt from previous disasters such as the Intra Bank collapse and the "Civil" war. Moreover, Riad Salameh has been doing quite a decent job as the Head of the Central Banks.
06 December 2011, 15:45
00
You can try and twist this story to suit your political views because you probably know little else.
The truth is that the incompetence of the rating agencies was one of the main reasons for the financial crisis that has plagued the world for the last 5 years. In fact it it a little uglier than incompetence; banks and other institutions "convinced" the agencies to give their products ridiculously optimistic ratings (e.g. AAA rating for Barclays' CDOs 5-6 years ago).
Rating agencies have lost all credibility. When it comes to negative outlook, you should be looking at the banking sectors of most European Countries, as for Lebanon, its banking sector is more than just stable, it is good.
Banks in Lebanon are highly capitalized, conservative in their risk taking and have learnt from previous disasters such as the Intra Bank collapse and the "Civil" war. Moreover, Riad Salameh has been doing quite a decent job as the Head of the Central Banks.
06 December 2011, 21:18
00
We are writing a blog on corrupt practises at Moody's. Please check it out and give us your feedback.
http://blogmichaelray.blogspot.com/
