The high levels of unemployment and the poor growth of credit are factors that have worsened in the context of the economic crisis generated by the outbreak of covid-19, which has led to the deterioration of the credit record of customers.
Fitch Ratings has revised from "stable" to "negative" its perspective for international long-term ratings of the private bank BAC San José and the state banks Banco Nacional, Banco Popular, Banco Internacional and Banco de Costa Rica.
From a statement issued by Fitch Ratings:
Fitch Ratings has revised the Outlook for international long-term ratings of four Costa Rican banks and a Panamanian subsidiary from Stable to Negative, after having revised the Perspective for Costa Rica's sovereign rating from stable to negative :
Up to April 30, 2014 the number of cards in circulation amounted to 1,764,609, 2% more than at the end of January of the same year.
From a press release issued by the Ministry of Economy, Industry and Trade of Costa Rica:
According to data from the latest survey by the Directorate of Economic and Market Research of the Ministry of Economy, Industry and Commerce (MEIC), defaults decreased by 3%, corresponding to a delay of payment over 90 days, compared to the previous study.
Banco Popular in Costa Rica plans to register bond issues in the financial markets of El Salvador, Panama and Nicaragua.
Pension funds in El Salvador and institutional investors in Nicaragua are the target for Banco Popular from Costa Rica, who plans to start three programs of issuances of debt worth $50 million.
Gerardo Abarca, financial manager of the company , told Elfinancierocr.com: "We want to internationalize the bank in terms of fundraising. We had a good experience in Panama, an already well consolidated market. We expect to leverage these new places a niche of investors with an appetite for terms of over one year. In Costa Rica , investments in accounts as well as on the National Stock Exchange, are still very short, with terms of six months to one year.
At the end of October 2013 the number of cards in circulation amounted to 1,723,306.
A press release from the Ministry of Economy, Industry and Trade of Costa Rica reads:
Costa Ricans owe in total $1,496 million in balances on credit cards, which is an increase of $21.5 million (1.46%) compared to the latest study by the Directorate of Economic and Market Research, according to the cut made up to October 31, 2013.
Credit card debt grew by 1.5% to a total of $1.482 billion, while the number of cards in circulation up to July 31, 2013 was 1,731,673.
A press release from the Ministry of Economy, Industry and Trade of Costa Rica reads:
The Ministry of Economy, Industry and Commerce (MEIC) through the Department of Economic and Market Research has conducted its latest study on debit and credit cards.
Using standardized issuances, the Costa Rican entity intends to raise funds in the financial markets of Nicaragua, El Salvador and Mexico.
The idea "... is to raise funds by issuing securities on the stock exchanges of these countries with the aim being that investors can obtain the funds and channel them into placing loans here," noted an article in Prensalibrecr.com.
The fall in interest rates has caused an increase in bond prices, encouraging holders to make profits.
During the first quarter of 2013, the stock market in Costa Rica grew by 18%, with the secondary debt market being the best performing, going from $1.34 billion in the first three months of 2012 to $3.459 billion in the same period of 2013.
Data from the National Stock Exchange (BNV), reveals that for the entire secondary market (including bonds and other instruments) there was also a rise of 39% (data dollarized).
While preparing a definitive ruling, a Costa Rica tribunal court ordered a mortgage lender to reduce the monthly fee paid by a debtor to its initial amount.
In Costa Rica, interest rate growth has led to significant increases in the fees paid by borrowers to banks and finance companies.
Now, faced with a class action, a Court of Appeals Dispute Tribunal has granted an injunction to one of the debtors, ordering that " the monthly payment for a home loan, from 1. ° December 2012, be kept at the same amount as when the loan was acquired in 2007. "
For the volume of assets and loan portfolios they manage, cooperatives together make up the fourth largest financial operator ivn the country.
In Costa Rica, the 30 cooperatives under the supervision of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions (Sugef) exceed in value the assets and loan portfolio of the "private bank BAC San José and are below the banks, Banco Nacional, Banco de Costa Rica and Banco Popular which are funded by public capital. "
Costa Rican banks have resumed the purchase of balances and debt consolidation on credit cards with lower interest rates.
With this operation, customers can pay off debts owed to other credit card issuers and have them reassigned to a single card with a lower interest rate, reducing monthly payments.
Electronic Media Director of Banco Nacional, Marco Vinicio Calderon told Nacion.com that since January 2011 the bank has purchased about $7.4 million in credit card balances.
The increased demand for bank credit from consumers and businesses plus the financing needs of the government, is putting pressure on the capital market and interest rates.
The competition for liquidity can be seen in the activity of the National Stock Exchange, where the amounts being released on the exchange are increasing because of the concurrence of the state banks - Banco de Costa Rica, Nacional and Popular, and of private banks like Scotiabank, and by other entities such as Grupo Mutual y la Compañía de Fuerza y Luz.
Interest rates fixed for 20 years being offered by banks are increasing the demand for mortgages.
Four banks are currently promoting mortgage loans with fixed interest rates.
Credit for housing rose by almost 6% from February 2010 to February 2011, an increase which could accelerate at the end of the year because of these programs.
Gabriela Mayorga in Elfinancierocr.com writes "The BCR has already managed to arrange loans (in less than two months), for a third of the total amount allocated to the fixed rate housing program, the bank said."
Bank “Banco Popular” will buy 100% of the liabilities of intervened financial cooperative Coopemex, and will put in place a trust to manage its assets.
The announcement was made by Gerardo Porras, General Manager at Banco Popular. He noted that the operation should be completed no later than June 10.
According to Porras, this is the first time in Costa Rica’s history that an intervened financial institution escapes bankruptcy.
SMEs in Costa Rica can receive guarantee backed funds for viable projects.
The Development Fund for Micro, Small and Medium Sized Enterprises (Fodemipyme) gave guarantees and assurances to six cooperatives and one bank for $8.5 million. These guarantees will be used by the institutions to cover up to 75% of each loan request after having evaluated the feasibility of the project for which the funds are requested.