In March 2008, we updated all data for the 59 countries surveyed with official figures, sourced fromcentral banks and regulators. In most cases, we were able to find data that pertained to the end of 2007: inalmost all other cases, the data pertains to September 30 2007. As a result, the insights that we derive onparticular countries are based on consistently sourced information that is far more current than it had beenpreviously.
Although we gather data for countries such as the US, Japan, Australia and the eurozone, the vastmajority of the 59 countries whose banking industries we survey are, or are generally seen as being,emerging markets. For all the widely publicised problems of large banks in developed countries, in thewake of the subprime banking crisis in the US, 2007 was an extremely good year for the banking sectorsof the emerging markets. In local currency terms, the median growth in assets was 21% (in Brazil). Themedian rates of growth in loans to non-bank customers and in deposits were 22% (in India) and 18% (inMorocco). In some countries - and not just those enjoying oil booms - the figures were spectacular. InUkraine, for instance, assets and deposits rose by 76% and 62% respectively. Loans grew by more thanone-third in Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovenia, Peru, Bahrain, Iranand Nigeria. Deposits also rose by more than one-third in most of these countries.
In absolute terms, Slovenia’s banking sector enjoyed considerable growth through the year to December31 2007. In local currency terms, total assets, total loans and total deposits increased by 51%, 33% and11% respectively. The loan/deposit and loan/GDP ratios both rose, while the loan/asset ratio fell.Relative to other countries surveyed by BMI, these achievements were very impressive. Of the 59countries surveyed, Slovenia ranks fourth in terms of local currency asset growth and 14th in terms oflocal currency loan growth. However, it ranks a more modest 47th in terms of local currency depositgrowth. Slovenia is ranked third for loan/deposit and loan/asset and 14th for loan/GDP ratios. In a countrywith per capita GDP of US$24,500, deposits per capita are just US$14,586.
In Q108, we envisaged that total assets, total loans and total deposits would rise by 15%, 21% and 7%annually through the 2007-2012 forecast period. Now, and using an improved forecasting method, we arelooking for growth rates of 24%, 17% and 8% respectively.
Since Q108, we have calculated, on a consistent basis, a Commercial Bank Business Environment Rating(CBBER) for each of the 59 countries surveyed. The CBBER includes an assessment of the limits ofpotential returns: it does this by taking into account the size, growth potential and bancassurancepotential of the banking sector, as well as aspects of the economy in 2007. The CBBER also depends onan assessment of the risks to the realisation of potential returns: this reflects BMI’s assessments ofoverall country risk, together with the regulatory and competitive environment.Slovenia’s CBBER is 51.0. In the context of the Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) region, this means itis no more than a moderately attractive country; its CBBER is in the middle of the range for the region.The major problem is the lack of scale of the banking sector. The ratings score for the market structure -the most important component of the assessment of the limits to potential returns - is just 35.0. Byregional standards, the ratings score for the economy - at 48.2 - is also on the low side, largely due toGDP volatility. Slovenia’s banking sector remains constrained by its past problems.
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