Southeast Asian banks to remain resilient this year – S&P

KUALA LUMPUR: Southeast Asian banks are likely to remain resilient
this year, after the strong regional economic recovery in 2010,
according to Standard & Poor's Ratings Services.

It said on Monday, July 25 that overall, most banks in Southeast Asia
had high loans growth and low to moderate credit costs, but continued
to vary considerably in profitability and risk management practices,

In a report titled "Despite Varying Risks And Profitability,
Southeast Asian Banks Are Likely To Remain Healthy," the rating services
agency said banks in emerging markets, such as Indonesia, had higher
loan margins, while those in more mature markets, such as Singapore and
Malaysia, faced margin pressure due to competition.

Meanwhile, in a separate report released on July 21, it said the
implications of the U.S. debt ceiling standoff on banks in Southeast
Asia were limited.

S&P’s credit analyst Ivan Tan said the agency expects the robust
economic outlook in Southeast Asia, the strong domestic savings rates,
and the generally healthy and corporate sectors to mitigate external
pressure.

“Most banks have adequate capitalization to support their growth through retained earnings,” he said.

Meanwhile, inflation and tightening monetary policies were common themes that could hurt borrower repayment ability, he said.

Ultimately, bank profitability hinges on how well banks can control
their credit costs when their loan portfolios start to season, he said.

The report said some of these downside risks could be buffered by
generally adequate capitalisation in Southeast Asian banks, which
feature high core capital, moderate reliance on hybrid capital, and
conservative standards in the existing regulatory capital framework.

In 2010, banks in the region have taken advantage of positive
investor sentiment to issue new capital, while others preserve their
capital through scrip dividend schemes, where shareholders receive new
shares instead of cash dividends, said Tan.

“The Southeast Asian region features a diverse spectrum of banks,
from the highly-rated, developed banking sector in Singapore, to the
investment-grade banking sectors of Malaysia and Thailand, to the
emerging and higher-risk systems of Vietnam and Cambodia,” said Tan.

The report contains comments on 30 rated banks across seven Southeast Asian systems.