China

Smaller banks in China post weaker capital and liquidity positions

This is due to their faster asset growth rate.Moody's Investors Service says that the 2016 results of the 11 listed Chinese banks rated by Moody's continued to testify to profitability pressures from China's slowing economic growth, despite the absence of any significant deterioration in reported asset performance.

Smaller banks in China post weaker capital and liquidity positions

This is due to their faster asset growth rate.Moody's Investors Service says that the 2016 results of the 11 listed Chinese banks rated by Moody's continued to testify to profitability pressures from China's slowing economic growth, despite the absence of any significant deterioration in reported asset performance.

Banks withdraw from $1.7t worth of Chinese investments

As banks pull out, Chinese bonds and equities retreat, says Bloomberg.

Chinese banks to remain under pressure even after growing their profits in 2016

Net interest margins will continue to narrow and asset impairments will increase.

China's off-balance sheet lending surged $109b in March

Bloomberg says China’s shadow banking is back in full swing.

What makes China's city commercial banks more vulnerable to disruption?

The banks are increasingly exposed to spillover and contagion risks. The rapid growth of China's city commercial banks over the past decade is increasing their systemic importance and contributing to higher systemic risks, says Fitch Ratings. Here's more from Fitch Ratings:City commercial banks' asset structures have been shifting towards non-loan financial products to enhance yield, which coupled with their thinning liquidity and weak capital buffers, render city commercial banks more vulnerable to financial system disruption compared with larger banks. The banks are increasingly exposed to spillover and contagion risks, while access to timely liquidity support is also less certain. Their rising systemic importance implies any excessive risk building-up in this sector could lead to higher overall systemic risk.Direct and indirect local government ownership of city commercial banks and high geographic and sector concentration expose these banks to strong implicit and explicit influence. Supporting local economy funding needs may run counter to sound corporate governance and prudent risk management, and weigh on the banks' standalone credit profiles.Fitch believes local governments have a strong propensity to support city commercial banks, but their ability to do so varies and may be restricted by limited intrinsic financial capacity and China's fiscal system. In the absence of a systemic crisis, Fitch believes the central government would be willing to provide timely and sufficient ordinary support to an individual bank to limit contagion risk. However, the agency's assessment of support addresses the likelihood of extraordinary support during times of systemic stress; under such a scenario, the home city's relative importance to the state and the bank's importance to the local economy will be key factors in determining sovereign support propensity.

What are the key culprits behind China's liquidity problem?

Regulation and lack of collateral are to blame.

Don't get your hopes up: The worst is not yet over for Chinese banks

This is despite the largest banks' 2016 performance exceeding expectations.

Chinese banks exposed to considerable latent asset risks: Moody's

Almost a fifth of corporate debt is supported by cash flows that do not fully cover interest expenses.

Chinese banks cut bad loan ratios for 2016

China Construction Bank and Agbank reported lower NPL ratios.

ICBC's 2016 net profit hits US$40b

It's flat year-on-year and in line with consensus.

How does China's underground bank crackdown impact Hong Kong's remittance services?

Faster outlflows to Hong Kong is expected as clampdown fears escalate.

CLSA partners with Citi to offer real-time delivery versus payment settlement

The solution is for the Shanghai Connect and Shenzhen Connect.

Bank of Communications' net profit up 1% to US$9b

But the bank remains cautious for 2017 margin outlook.