Banks told to get bigger

International rating agency Moody's, may revise the forecast on the Russian banking system later this year to "stable" from "negative." This means that Russian banks have returned to the main credit metrics to pre-crisis level. According to the agency, the proportion of bad loans by the end of this year will rise to 25% from 20% at the end of last year. Note that the troubled agency said loans overdue payment exceeding 90 days. In addition, fall into this category and restructured loans. Recall that in the spring of this year, two international rating agencies improved their forecasts on the level of bad debts of Russian credit organizations, banks. For example, last year, according to Moody's, the amount of bad debt by the middle of this year was to grow up to 30%. Then, the forecast was lowered to 25%. Only Standard & Poor's stubbornly retains its apocalyptic forecast of 40%. The Russian authorities, CB, of course, trying to distance itself from such predictions. Since at such a volume of distressed debt substantial growth in lending has been excluded. Do not share the views of agency and the majority of bank analysts. One of the most authoritative experts in this area called the people who make such pessimistic predictions, "idiots". As noted by the investment IFC Metropol, a Russian banking sector liquidity is excessive, and continues to grow due to continued growth in deposits (12% for six months and only 3% in June), growth of borrowing on international markets and low interest rates on interbank loans (3,5%) in the Russian market. Low income (3,5%) deposits of Russian banks with the CBR continued to grow, and are now at historical highs We have already talked about that in a recent increase in the loan portfolio. Banks defrost their lending programs. For example, in early July, Sberbank and VTB Group announced a substantial liberalization of the requirements for consumer loans, including mortgages. In particular, the minimum down payment for certain types of housing loans has been reduced to 10%. Cancel commissions when issuing loans Savings Bank has already borne fruit, and the bank began to outpace market growth in retail portfolio. It is not excluded that the new measures will also help state banks to increase their share of presence in retail lending. The liberalization of conditions for granting loans in the long term should lead to faster growth of credit portfolio, which would entail a positive revaluation of banks »,