Three small banks risk receiving lower ratings from NBR

Banks that hold a significant share of the banking sector are expected to perform at least as well this year, as they did in 2006, but it is very likely that three credit institutions, which account for up 2% of the banking system’s total assets, will see their rating assigned by NBR (National Bank of Romania) drop from 2 to 3, according to Bogdan Marinescu, an NBR expert. The study identifies a series of factors considered decisive when it comes to adjusting a bank’s rating. The NBR examines the financial stability and the degree of potential contagion of the banks on the market, according to a six-component rating system that includes: capital adequacy, asset quality, shareholders quality, management quality, profitability, and liquidity. The central bank regularly evaluates each of the six components, using ratings from 1 to 5, with 1 the highest, and 5 the lowest, which signals a maximum risk. The NBR does not make public the ratings given to each bank (unlike independent financial assessment agencies); however, it does occasionally reveal the number of banks within each rating category.