Sunday, February 14, 2016

Staring at a liquidity crisis?

As Asia wakes up on Monday morning, and as Chinese markets start trading, the world markets and more specifically bankers are on tenterhooks.

Banks  have had risks coming their way for some time. Credit risks took them the NPA express way  and along the stressed  assets on a rapidly converging highway  . 

This toxicity in credit has severely impacted profitability of banks. Consequential risks point to a structural mismatch that would have affected or are affecting banks' overall future assets and liabilities.  

The mismatch(es)  will   affect throughout not just on credit but on  liquidity, interest, and currency too.  Strategic balance sheet management seems quite a difficult task for banks in this scenario. 

Current setting stares at the likelihood of liquidity risk in the forthcoming weeks. Liquidity risk will see  discriminatory and burdensome interest rate risks which banks will find rather difficult. With asset prices falling, trading risk management is made even more tricky.

Funding and capital planning of not just banks but countries (think of the income slack Gulf countries trying to sell assets to meet developmental needs in a falling market!) will be adversely impacted. There can be little profit planning and growth projections for banks in the near short run. Rapid strategic exercises  are called for. 

Banks are but dinosaurs ?...

The views expressed are without any risk or responsibility. The blog recommends no investment. 



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