Sat, Feb 11 2012

S&P affirms UniCredit Bulbank credit rating

Fri, Jul 31 2009 12:39 CET 2433 Views
S&P affirms UniCredit Bulbank credit rating

Photo: Nadezhda Chipeva

Credit ratings agency Standard&Poor’s has confirmed the BBB rating of Bulgaria’s UniCredit Bulbank, the bank said. The bank's rating is at the country ceiling, with S&P rating rules preventing a company from being rated higher than the country in which it operates.

S&P retain the negative outlook on UniCredit Bulbank, mirroring the agency's outlook for Bulgaria.

"UniCredit Bulbank is adequately positioned to withstand the current downturn due to ongoing parental support and its own development and enterprise risk management strategies, which are both more conservative and better developed than the corresponding strategies of its domestic peers", according to the agency.

S&P said Bulgarian banks face significantly lower risks in foreign currency lending compared to other Eastern European countries, whose currencies lost ground at the end of 2008 and the start of 2009.

The rating agency expects the currency board pegging the lev to the euro to be preserved until the country joins the eurozone.

UniCredit Group has given 1.2 billion leva in financing for its Bulgarian unit for 2009, but deposits remain the bank's main source of funding. Whether the bank remains the leader on the deposits segment, where it had 14 per cent market share at end-March, would depend on the aggressive deposit strategies adopted by other institutions, S&P said.

Source: Dnevnik

  • Print
  • Send via email
  • Translate to
  • Share:

To post comments, please, Login or Register.


Please read the The Sofia Echo forum comments policy.

Fitch affirms ProCredit Bank at BB+/B

Fitch kept the bank's short-term foreign - and local - currency rating at B, the lender said.

Euro path

What will the future bring? Possible exchange rate and currency board scenarios in view of Bulgaria joining the euro area.

More in this category

Average monthly salary in Bulgaria rose in Q4 2011, statistics institute says

In the fourth quarter of 2011, the average monthly salary increased to 727 leva, 4.9 per cent higher than in Q3, the National Statistics Institute says.

Global food prices rebound, FAO says

For the first time in six months, global food prices rose overall in January 2012, the UN Food and Agricultural Organisation said.

Bulgaria mulls tighter regulation of bank fees - updated

The package will be discussed with the Association of Bulgarian Banks before the amendments are submitted to Parliament.

Bulgarian ICT Watch event in March

Debate at the half-day event will cover what has been achieved so far and what further can be done by the Bulgarian Government to support development of the market.

Movers and shakers

Selectivity, not popularity, is the driving force behind Sofia's most exclusive members' only club.

Appointments

British Council

British Council

Lyubov Kostova was appointed country manager of British Council Bulgaria effective January 1, replacing Tony Buckby, who left in October 2011 to take a similar position at British Council Greece. Kostova has been with British Council Bulgaria for 11 years, as public communications manager and, since 2008, as the head of project and partnerships department. Prior to joining the British Council, Kostova was head of international activities at the National Academy for Theatre and Cinema Arts (NATFIZ). She has a degree in Indian studies from Kliment Ohridski Sofia University.

CEZ

CEZ

Stefan Apostolov is the new chief executive of CEZ Razpredelenie Bulgaria, the power transmission subsidiary of Czech energy company CEZ in the country. He replaces interim chief executive Ales Damm, who remains the chairperson of the CEZ Razpredelenie management board. Apostolov has 30 years of experience in the energy sector, joining CEZ in 2007 as director of customer service and was later appointed as head of business development. Apostolov has a master's degree in electric systems from the Belorussian National Technical University in Minsc, management diplomas from Open University London and New Bulgarian University, as well as a master's degree in business administration from Plovdiv University.

BASF Bulgaria

BASF Bulgaria

Valentina Dikanska is the new general manager of chemical industry giant BASF subsidiary in Bulgaria, taking over from Herbert Fisch, BASF vice president for Southeastern Europe. Dikanska, who started her career as an expert in the Finance Ministry, joined BASF Bulgaria as director of finance and administration in 2002. She becomes the first Bulgarian to hold the top management position in the company in its 40-year history on the Bulgarian market. Dikanska holds a master's degree in economics from the University for National and World Economy in Sofia.

Rompetrol Bulgaria

Rompetrol Bulgaria

Alexander Albin has been appointed chief executive of fuel distributor Rompetrol Bulgaria, replacing Nichita Sorin, who left to become chief executive of Rompetrol Gaz in Romania. Albin was previously chief executive of Rompetrol Georgia. He has more than 15 years of experience in the oil and gas industry; prior to joining Romania's oil group Rompetrol in 2008 as an adviser, he oversaw operations at Atyrau refinery in Kazakhstan, owned by Rompetrol's parent company KazMunaiGaz. He previously held top management positions at two other leading Kazakh oil and gas companies.