Fitch Ratings place 13 SL banks under watch for possible downgrade
Fitch Ratings has placed 13 state and private banks in Sri Lanka under watch for possible downgrade (rating watch negative) due to forex shortages in the banking system.
The rating watch negative “reflects heightened near-term downside risk stemming from constrained access to foreign-currency funding and the resulting indications of stress experienced by the banks in the system,” Fitch said.
“This risk is exacerbated by the sovereign’s credit profile (Long-Term Foreign-Currency Issuer Default Rating (IDR): CC, Long-Term Local-Currency IDR: CCC) and the ensuing risks to the stability of the financial system.”
The banks are : People’s Bank, Commercial Bank of Ceylon PLC, Hatton National Bank PLC, Sampath Bank PLC, National Development Bank PLC, DFCC Bank PLC, Seylan Bank PLC, Nations Trust Bank PLC, Pan Asia Banking Corporation PLC, Union Bank of Colombo PLC, Amana Bank PLC, SANASA Development Bank PLC and Housing Development Finance Corporation Bank of Sri Lanka (HDFC.