Between May and June of this year, the average lending rate of commercial banks has fallen from 11.52% to 10.28%, a drop that is explained by the high level of liquidity of the banks and the low placement of credits.
The pandemic that caused the outbreak of covid-19 has hit the financial system, since due to the current market conditions, the active rates have come down between the months of May and July.
Fitch Ratings agreed to change the perspective of the region's banks from stable to negative, arguing that the current health crisis will affect financial institutions in all countries.
Considering the measures that countries have adopted in the last 15 days in economic matters, following the spread of covid-19, Fitch expects that there will be a decrease in the issuance of loans.
The impact of the coronavirus crisis on the financial sector in Central America is expected to be felt mainly in services related to stock brokerage and investment advice, where a drop is expected.
The "Information System for the Impact Analysis of Covid-19 on Business", prepared by the Trade Intelligence Unit of CentralAmericaData, measures the degree of impact that the crisis will have on companies according to their sector or economic activity, during the coming months.
According to Fitch Ratings, banks in Nicaragua will continue to be pressured by the remaining effects of an economic contraction for the second consecutive year, a situation derived from the political crisis affecting the country.
The Superintendence of Banks granted permission for Banco Atlántida, an entity of Honduran origin, to begin operating throughout the country under local supervision and regulation.
The constitution of Banco Atlántida in Nicaragua was authorized on October 24, 2017, but it was not until October 2, 2019 that the permit to operate in the financial system was published in La Gaceta.
Up to July 2019, the gross portfolio of the financial system totaled $3,966 million, 20% less than in the same month in 2018, partially because of the negative performance of commercial, industrial and personal credit.
During the seventh month of the year in terms of composition, the current loan portfolio represented 88.7% of the gross portfolio, while the portfolio at risk represented 11.3%.
Up to June 2019, the gross portfolio of the financial system totaled $4.047 million, 20% less than in the same month in 2018, partly explained by the performance of commercial and personal credit.
In terms of composition, the current loan portfolio represented 89.2% of the gross portfolio (89.7% in May 2019), while the portfolio at risk represented 10.8% (10.3% in May 2019).
Because of decreasing demand for credit since April last year, banks in the Nicaraguan plaza are filling up with money they can not place in the market.
According to estimates by the Nicaraguan Foundation for Economic and Social Development (Funides) based on official figures, so far this crisis has boosted the liquidity of banks, increasing the proportion of available money that financial institutions have with respect to their obligations to the public, going from 31.76% reported in March 2018 to 46.73% recorded in May this year.
From May 2019, foreign customers will have to declare to local system banks that their funds meet their country's tax requirements.
The Superintendence of Banks of Panama (SBP) approved Agreement 02-2019, which implements the recommendations of the Financial Action Task Force, which consists of expanding the required due diligence measures of banks with their customers.
At the end of September of this year, the gross portfolio of the country's commercial sector reached $1.703 million, which is 2.1% lower than that reported in the same month of 2017.
Central Bank of Nicaragua (BCN) reported that, at the end of September of this year, the country's gross banking portfolio reached $4,891 million, 0.3% less than that reported in the same month of 2017.
Fitch Ratings forecasts that the performance of the banking system will remain stable in 2018, despite the expected slowdown in credit growth.
From a statement issued by Fitch Ratings:
Fitch Ratings-San Salvador-23 January 2018: Fitch Ratings has maintained its stable outlook for Nicaragua's banking system, considering that its financial performance is expected to remain adequate in 2018 despite the anticipated slowdown in credit growth.
Up to October 2017, commercial loans and personal loans reported a 10% YoY growth, respectively, while bank deposits grew 9%.
From a report by the Central Bank of Nicaragua:
The Report indicates that the indicators of the National Financial System (SFN by its initials in Spanish) show dynamism in intermediation, with adequate risk management and good indicators on profitability, solvency and capital.
Fitch foresees returns for Nicaraguan banks, however the result will not be as good for the banking industry in Panama, Guatemala or El Salvador.
From Fitch's report "2017 Outlook: Central American and Dominican Republic Banks"
The 2017 Central American bank rating outlook is stable for 2017, reflecting slight changes in growth and financial performance, according to a new Fitch Ratings report. The evolution of some factors, such as interest rates and private investment, or the emergence of events that could increase reputation risk could alter the banking outlook.Stable Rating Outlook: The ratings of most banks in the region have a stable outlook, reflecting the fact that their credit profile will not undergo significant changes in Fitch's base scenario.Movements in the ratings will be derived mainly from adjustments in ratings of parent banks or sovereign ratings, or of unanticipated events.
Up to September 2016 annual growth in the loan portfolio of the banking system decreased from 23% to 20%.
From the Central Bank´s financial report, September 2016:
Credit growth declined. In September 2016, gross loans totaled 136,803.4 million cordobas, with a growth of 20.0 percent. This represents a decrease of 3.1 percentage points compared to the figure seen in September 2015.Meanwhile, real credit growth declined by 3.9 percentage points compared to that observed in September 2015 (19.8% vs 15.9% 2015 2016).The gross loan portfolio of the financial system remains active with the most weight in the balance of the financial system (66.0%).
Increased operating costs because of risk controls imposed by the US have led to correspondent banks avoiding working with small banks.
Maintaining small structures at the same time as paying high costs in order to meet the standards required internationally, primarily in the United States, is no longer viable for banks who want to remain profitable.