Bank, Insurer and Stock Exchange Rankings

©image: Revista Summa

In the April edition, Revista Summa will present its bank, insurer and stock exchange rankings. On the whole, it shows a healthy sector with the capacity to face the challenges ahead. Regional banking groups have gained greater importance and the magazine identified ten that represented 33% of the assets for 2008.

The Central American region had positive economic growth during 2008, but there were evident signs of slowing. The banking sector, however, showed robustness in the system in each Central American Country and the Dominican Republic. Revista Summa examined 159 financial institutions that make up the regional banking system with assets totaling $142.611 billion, an increase of 10.9% over 2007. The lowest growth in this variable was in El Salvador, Dominican Republic and Guatemala.

Full article (only in spanish):
- Bank, Insurer and Stock Exchange Rankings

Source: Revista Summa

More on this topic

"We Cannot Lend Money Senselessly"

February 2009

The Central Bank of Honduras is pressuring bankers to enlarge their credit portfolios, but banks are resisting any change to their risk policies.

In statements in La Tribuna, the well-known banker, Jorge Bueso Arias, insisted that "it is not that [the Central Bank] wants to put forth mandates, but rather...

Costa Rica has $320 Million for Development Frozen

March 2009

The money is intended for loans to small and medium sized businesses at preferential rates, but Bancrédito, the state bank which manages it, alleges legal flaws that prevent it from granting them.

For Bancrédito, the problems are that these funds require separate supervision and that the interest rates at which the loans need to be made as provided by law would cause the bank losses.

Credit Intermediation in Central America

August 2009

Banks credit intermediation and its influence in the generation of goods and services on behalf of the productive system.

In a SECMCA report, Nelson Oswaldo Ramirez presents a brief analysis of the development of banking credit in comparison with the region's economic activity in the first five months of the year. In the way he studies relationships that may exist between the variables of Credit and GDP.

Central American Banks: Special Report

September 2009

Fitch Ratings issued a special report: "Central American Banking: Evolution of the Crisis and Learnt Lessons".

In Fitch's opinion, the negative impact the international crisis had on Central American banks was very evident in 2009. The current economic context poses growing risks for the sector, as well as an important challenge for this year.