Guatemalan Banks to Cover Currency Exchange Risk

Banks in Guatemala will have to increase their capital from 10% to 14% when granting loans in U.S. dollars to people with incomes in quetzales.

Friday, December 18, 2009

Banking Superintendent Edgar Barquín explained that the measure, which affects a third of the entire loan portfolio in dollars -$982 million-, will force banks in the system to increase their capital in $48 million.

Barquín told local newspaper Prensa Libre that "the measure won't alter interest rates for loans in dollars", and that "the objective is to provide further protection against currency exchange variations".

More on this topic

Modification to Banking Regulations in Guatemala

December 2008

Tomorrow the Superintendence of Banks (SIB) will request that the Monetary Board approve a modification of the Regulations for Credit Risk Management.

Even though bank portfolios in arrears are not at a critical level, the SIB will request that the Monetary Board make the changes to the rules in order for banks to increase their reserves for bad debts (loans).

Managing Currency Exchange Risk

May 2012

Hedges are instruments whose results depend on an ongoing risk analysis of the exchange rate differential.

An article in Elfinancierocr.com states that "monitoring leading indicators, accounting, and using averages for time periods and curves are some of the recommendations provided by Amedeo Gaggion, HSBC's financial markets manager in the country."

Panama: New Calculation of Capital Adequacy Ratio

March 2009

The new provisions for calculating Capital Adequacy Ratio will be coming into force in Panamanian banks on April 1.

Assets that under the current rules were weighted at 100%, with the change will be weighted at 125% and 150%.

The general manager of Equilibrium risk rating, Ernesto Bazán, stated in an article in Prensa.com: "This means that assets, as measured by their risk will be higher and, therefore, the capital adequacy ratio of the Panamanian banking system will be reduced globally. It is currently at 14.3% and it could drop to 13.8% or less with the change."

Costa Rica: Central Bank reserves continue to rise

December 2008

Between November 21 and 28, Central Bank reserves rose by almost $48 million and were at $3.8 billion.

This figure was approximately $129 million more than the balance at the end of October, when it was at its lowest ever since May 2007.

The reserves are money that the Central Bank has on hand to deal with external difficulties such as the increase in the price of oil.

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