Ukrainian banks in the fourth quarter of 2019 reduced interest rates on hryvnia loans for businesses by 2.4 percentage points (p.p.), to 15.7% per annum, following a reduction in the refinancing rate by the National Bank of Ukraine (NBU). According to the banking sector survey posted on the National Bank’s website, the reduction in the cost of hryvnia loans for individuals was less noticeable: in the fourth quarter of 2019 the rates fell by 0.5 percentage points, to 33.6% per annum.
At the same time, according to the document, the rates on foreign currency loans to business entities are at a historically low level of 4.6% in December 2019.
The report also notes that the rates on deposits of individuals began to decline only in December, following the reduction in rates by state banks.
“During the year, state banks kept deposit rates at a high level due to inertia in the management of liabilities and assets and legal risks of PrivatBank,” the document says.
So, according to the report, the value of 12-month hryvnia deposits of individuals in the fourth quarter of 2019 decreased by 0.7 percentage points, to 15.1% per annum, in January 2020 it continued to decline by 1.1 percentage points, and in the first week of February by another 1 percentage point, to 13% per annum.
At the same time, the value of 12-month household deposits in U.S. dollars for the fourth quarter of 2019 decreased by 0.6 percentage points, to 2.6% per annum, and in 2020 by another 0.7 percentage points.
In addition, according to the document, the cost of hryvnia funds of corporations during the fourth quarter of 2019 fell by 2.7 percentage points, to 10.3% per annum.
The volume of non-performing loans (NPL) in state-owned banks fell by UAH 22 billion in January-June 2019, and their share of the loan portfolio decreased to 65%, according to a second report of the Finance Ministry on the state of work with NPL published within a regular and detailed report on operations of state-owned banks.
“Compared to January 1, 2019, the volume of NPLs in state-owned banks decreased by UAH 22 billion, to UAH 415 billion, and their share of the loan portfolio decreased by 2.5 percentage points, to 65%,” the ministry said in the report.
According to the results of the first half of the year, public sector banks reduced overdue debts by UAH 3.5 billion and carried out restructuring for UAH 10.6 billion.
Banks of the public sector restructured a total of about UAH 11 billion, of which 47% (UAH 5 billion) under the law on financial restructuring. In the first half of the year, Oschadbank successfully completed the financial restructuring procedures with TMM Firm LLC, Imperovo Foods LLC, PJSC Avangard agroholding, and PJSC Rise-Maksymko. Two cases of financial restructuring for companies of the WOG group have been opened. In addition, Ukreximbank opened its first financial restructuring case with Office Construction Agency LLC, which has become one of the largest in terms of debt to be restructured.
The share of the NPL of the banking system as of July 1, 2019 was 51%, or UAH 581 billion.
The share of companies planning to attract loans in the next 12 months has reached 41.5% in the second quarter of 2019 compared to 38.2% a quarter earlier, according to the results of a regular survey of enterprises’ business expectations announced by the National Bank of Ukraine (NBU). The largest share of such companies accounted for the manufacturing industry, those of energy and water supply, the document says.
According to the survey, enterprises, as before, prefer loans in the national currency: their share increased to 79.1% in the second quarter compared to 78.1% in the first quarter.
The National Bank noted that large enterprises, as well as those companies that conduct export-import operations are more inclined to attract loans in foreign currency.
At the same time, the share of respondents planning to attract foreign loans rose in the market up to 10.4% in the second quarter compared to 9.7% in the previous quarter.
The Kyiv City Council at a meeting on Thursday approved the attraction of a loan of EUR 110 million from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) to buy rolling stock under the Kyiv City Public Transport Project II.
According to the decision, municipal enterprise Kyiv Metropoliten will receive a loan of EUR 50 million at 6% per annum and the period of up to 12 years, including the two year grace period for paying the principal of the loan. Municipal enterprise Kyivpastrans will receive EUR 60 million for the period of up to 13 years at 6% per annum, including the three year grace period.
As reported, Kyiv city after Lviv has become the second city in Ukraine and 21st in the region, which joined the Green Cities Project of the EBRD.
According to a press release of the Kyiv City Administration issued the signing of the memo, the city plans to use this programme to implement projects for the renewal of the Kyivpastrans and Kyiv Metropoliten’s fleet with new buses, trolleybuses and subway cars, as well as a comprehensive reconstruction of the tram line and the Kontraktova Ploscha stop and overhaul of the Metro Bridge.
Recently, the EBRD Credit Committee approved the concept of projects for an estimated total cost of EUR 320 million, Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko then said.
Under the Green Cities programme the EBRD provides support to partner cities in designing and implementing Green City Action Plans and assistance in selecting investment programmes and providing financing by international donors. In particular, the Green City Action Plans include measures to improve urban infrastructure, quality of air, cleanness and availability of land and water resources, green space areas.
The pilot programmes were implemented in Georgia, Armenia and Moldova. The programme was then approved by the EBRD board in autumn 2016. Lviv city was the first Ukrainian city participated in the programme. The city managed to raise EUR 20 million for Zelene Misto municipal enterprise for building a waste treatment facility and the rehabilitation of the Hrybovychi solid household waste landfill.
In autumn 2018, the EBRD approved the extension of the Green Cities programme (Green Cities 2) with the provision of up to EUR 700 million. Currently the programme has over EUR 1 billion of confirmed financing, including over EUR 250 million that has been invested.
Ukrainian banks expect that lending and inflow of deposits continue in 2019, they also count on improvement of the loan portfolio, according to the poll on the conditions of banking lending conducted by the National Bank of Ukraine (NBU). According to a report posted on the central bank’s website, three quarters of the banks surveyed predict growth in corporate loans in 2019, 62% of respondents – the growth of consumer loans.
Some 66% of respondents predict the continuation of the inflow of deposits from the public in 2019, 67% – the inflow of business funds.
“The value of deposits is the highest in the entire history of observations,” the NBU said.
In the fourth quarter of 2018, the demand for loans continued to increase both from the public and business, due to the growing needs of enterprises in funds for capital investment and replenishment of working capital, as well as debt restructuring. At the same time, the business was mainly interested in short-term hryvnia loans.
In the fourth quarter of 2018, banks somewhat increased the standards for approving applications for all types of business loans along with deteriorating expectations, primarily for the exchange rate and economic development, as well as increased collateral risk. However, in the first quarter of 2019, banks plan to slightly relax domestic business lending requirements, especially for loans to small and medium-sized enterprises.
Consumer lending contributed to growth in the retail loan portfolio in the fourth quarter of 2018. The demand for respective loans was linked to an improvement in consumer confidence and a rise in spending on durable goods.
Standards for loans issued to households have not changed.
According to the report, banks, for the first time in five quarters, noted a decrease in liquidity risk.
“Banks expect that credit, currency and operational risks will increase in the first quarter of 2019, liquidity risks will decrease, interest rates will not change,” the NBU said.
The survey was conducted from December 18, 2018 to January 10, 2019 among the loan managers of 61 banks, which share of the total assets of the banking system is 96%. The next survey on bank lending will be about expectations for the second quarter of 2019 and will be published in April.
The share of non-performing loans (NPL) in the total volume of loans in Ukraine in July 2018 fell to 55.06% from 55.68%, according to the National Bank of Ukraine (NBU). The central bank said that in particular, the share of NPL in the loan portfolio of PrivatBank fell to 84.54% from 84.64%, in other state-owned banks to 59.09% from 59.11%, in portfolios of foreign bank groups – to 41.75% from 42.54% and banks with private capital it grew to 24.6% from 24.09%.
The volume of NPL of banks in July grew by UAH 5.092 billion, to UAH 631.231 billion, including in state-owned banks by UAH 7.073 billion, to UAH 419.963 billion, in banks with private capital – by UAH 865 million, to UAH 31.817 billion and in banks of foreign bank groups – by UAH 871 million, to UAH 168.338 billion.
The share of all NPL of the loan portfolio of the corporate sector in July fell to 57.28% from 57.83% and in the loan portfolio of individuals – to 50.72% from 51.32%.
