Moody’s: Russian banks’ funding, liquidity to keep on improving ‘16

MOSCOW, May 16 (PRIME) -- Improved funding and liquidity figures of Russian banks will probably remain in 2016 because the state’s spending raises money supply and stimulates a deposit inflow to banks, rating agency Moody’s said in a statement on Monday.

“Russian banks have generally become more resilient to refinancing risk, with enough liquid assets to potentially repay all their market funding," the agency said.

Deposits with Russian banks grew 20% in 2015, while loans rose by 8%. Moody’s expects that in 2016, deposit growth will outpace the loan one, which will reduce the dependence of banks on the central bank.

Still, Moody’s has retained its negative outlook for the sector due to expectations of “asset quality deterioration and downward pressure on capital amid the protracted economic downturn.”

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