Non-performing loan

The collapse of Silicon Valley Bank and the serious problems facing Credit Suisse will not have wider consequences for the European banking system, according to Greek bankers.

The Greek banking system is clearly in a much better position now to absorb any turbulence from international markets than it was four years ago, Finance Minister Christos Staikouras said on Thursday, commenting on global banking system tensions caused by the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank and the crisis at Credit Suisse.

Cyprus' Finance Ministry is considering possible actions to tackle nonperforming loans and is examining a set of measures aiming to address the issue, Finance Minister Makis Keravnos said in a statement on Friday, calling on banks and servicers to refrain from foreclosures on primary residences held by vulnerable borrowers.

Nonperforming loans (NPLs) in Cyprus at the end of October 2022 amounted to 2.69 billion euros, showing a decrease of €32 million compared to the previous month.

The management of Attica Bank is expected by mid-January to have finalized its plan to reduce the lender's bad loans - which amount to approximately 2.5 billion euros (approximately 65% of its portfolio) - in order to then launch the process to increase its share capital by a total of €490 million. 

Fitch Ratings has affirmed Greece's Long-Term Foreign-Currency Issuer Default Rating (IDR) at 'BB' with a Positive Outlook.

Moody's maintains a positive outlook for the Greek banking system despite difficult economic conditions and inflationary pressures, which are likely to limit economic growth in 2022, but with a possible recovery in 2023.

Banks operating in Turkey have been obliged to submit a new long-term credit strategy plan and establish a separate unit to oversee it, according to a revised banking regulation published in the Official Gazette yesterday.

According to the Governor of the Bank of Greece, Giannis Stournara, the forecasts for a rapid recovery of the Greek economy from now on are subject to significant risks related to the evolution of the pandemic nationally and globally.

Ljubljana – Slovenia has spent billions to help companies weather the coronavirus crisis and keep unemployment low. Business associations say companies are currently in good shape overall, but they highlight pockets of problems, especially among SMEs and in industries that were shut down for a long time.