Europe banks resilient in stress tests; APAC exports drop; lithium reserves grow
Today is Tuesday, August 08, 2023, and here’s your weekly selection of essential intelligence on financial markets and the global economy from S&P Global Market Intelligence. Subscribe to be notified of each new Insight Weekly.
In this edition of?Insight Weekly, we take a close look at the results of the European Banking Authority's (EBA) latest stress tests. The findings suggest that most European banks will be able to increase dividend payouts and share buybacks, thanks to their resilient capital buffers, according to analysts. The regulator found that under a hypothetical adverse scenario, the aggregate common equity Tier 1 ratio of the 70 banks examined would drop 459 basis points to 10.38% in 2025 from 14.97% at the end of 2022. The stress tests also show that banks' exposures to the hospitality and construction industries are the biggest threat to asset quality. In the adverse scenario, nonperforming exposures in the accommodation and food service segment would total 11% of performing exposures. In the construction industry, exposures would total 8.2%. Overall, the EBA believes that banks are well positioned to withstand an unfavorable operating environment.
Asia-Pacific merchandise exports recorded a significant decrease during the first half of 2023, mainly due to slow economic recovery in mainland China along with weak demand in the US and Western Europe. Latest evidence from S&P Global Purchasing Managers surveys signaled that new export orders have remained weak across many Asia-Pacific economies in mid-2023, indicating that exports may continue to face headwinds in the second half.
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Global lithium reserves and resources have increased 83% since the first quarter of 2018 as investors poured money into exploration for the metal, according to S&P Global Market Intelligence data. As the world works to decarbonize and meet the goals set out in the Paris Agreement on climate change, lithium has taken center stage as a key ingredient in batteries for electric vehicles and renewable-generated energy storage.
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European Bank Stress Tests in Focus
EBA stress tests: Banks' capital strong, dividend plans on track, analysts say
Europe's banks should be able to press ahead with their dividend and buyback plans given their resilient financial position.
—Read the full article from S&P Global Market Intelligence
?EBA stress tests: Hospitality, construction pose biggest credit risk to banks
European banks' exposures to the hospitality and construction industries are the biggest threat to asset quality, the latest European Banking Authority stress tests show.
—Read the full article from S&P Global Market Intelligence
Deep Dives
In-depth features looking at the impact of major news developments in key industries.
Financials
Total failed bank assets record grows with fall of Kansas community bank?????????????
Total failed bank assets now sit at $552.47 billion for the year, but the recent failure of a Kansas-based community bank with $139.4 million in assets contributed marginally to that total due to the sheer size of the other banks that have failed.
—Read the full article from S&P Global Market Intelligence
Credit quality concerns lead to higher provisions at US banks???
Nearly two-thirds of the banks included in this S&P Global Market Intelligence analysis increased provisions for loan losses in the second quarter of 2023.
—Read the full article from S&P Global Market Intelligence
Greek banks in rude health as government exits bailout stakes
Shares in the country's top four banks have risen sharply in 2023, backed by higher profits, improving asset quality and cost-reduction efforts.
—Read the full article from S&P Global Market Intelligence
Slowing economic growth won't dampen Australian banks' debt market activity
Australian and New Zealand banks raised $3.59 billion via debt securities in June, up from $2.03 billion a year ago, S&P Global Market Intelligence data shows.
—Read the full article from S&P Global Market Intelligence
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Insurance
Auto and home insurer's Calif. concentration to climb after 36-state retreat
The National Education Association plans to announce a new affinity arrangement for private auto and homeowners insurance later in 2023 in the dozens of states that its long-time partner intends to exit amid profitability and capitalization concerns.
—Read the full article from S&P Global Market Intelligence
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Real Estate
NAV Monitor: Discounts to net asset value further shrink for US REITs in July
Publicly listed US equity real estate investment trusts traded at a median 15.9% discount to their consensus net asset value per share estimates as of July 31, down from an 18.2% discount as of July 3.
—Read the full article from S&P Global Market Intelligence
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Private Equity
Private equity investments in insurance underwriters slump in H1'23????
From Jan. 1 to July 13, private equity and venture capital firms announced $830 million of investments across 24 transactions in the insurance underwriter sector worldwide, according to S&P Global Market Intelligence data.
—Read the full article from S&P Global Market Intelligence
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Credit and Markets
APAC merchandise exports remain weak in first half of 2023
APAC merchandise exports have declined significantly in the first half of 2023, due to weak demand in the US and Western Europe and sluggish economic recovery in mainland China.
—Read the full article from S&P Global Market Intelligence
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Energy and Utilities
Visualizing Europe's sprawling offshore wind pipeline
S&P Global Market Intelligence is tracking more than 238 GW of offshore wind projects in Europe, including multiple gigawatts in less established offshore markets.
—Read the full article from S&P Global Market Intelligence
领英推荐
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RRA Research: Renewable energy cases ascend to prominence on US regulatory agendas
Renewable-energy-related proceedings top commissions' regulatory agendas, as indicated by a new index tool that provides information on major pending energy-related regulatory proceedings by jurisdiction and topic.
—Read the full article from S&P Global Market Intelligence
With new nuclear unit now operational, Southern turns a major corner
"We're just thrilled to have the opportunity to move toward getting these units online and getting this project behind us and then focus on this company and getting the valuation we think we deserve," Southern Co. President and CEO Chris Womack said.
—Read the full article from S&P Global Market Intelligence
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Technology, Media and Telecommunications
451 Research: Industrial, B2B and B2C survey: Same metaverse, different perspectives
As industrial and enterprise organizations develop a taste for metaverse-style apps, many are engaging with, or planning investments in, the evolution of how we interact with one another, machinery and data.
—Read the full article from S&P Global Market Intelligence
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Metals and Mining
Metals and Mining Research: Copper M&A 2022 – Metrics peak on green energy push
M&A activity peaked in 2022 as the energy transition cements future demand amid looming deficits and sustains historically high market prices.
—Read the full article from S&P Global Market Intelligence
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Supply Chain
India's food supply chain intervention
The Indian government has banned exports of non-basmati rice grades to tackle domestic food price inflation.
—Read the full article from S&P Global Market Intelligence
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ESG
Indonesia emerging as major cobalt supplier amid lingering ESG concerns
Indonesia has emerged as a major cobalt producer, but some industry experts are concerned about the country's environmental, social and governance standards in producing the battery metal.
—Read the full article from S&P Global Market Intelligence
?The Week in M&A
US bank M&A roars back to life with 2 largest deals of 2023
Proposed capital rules to encourage regional bank M&A, benefit nonbanks
Asia-Pacific bank M&A to stay subdued after Q2 drop as headwinds remain
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The Big Number
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Compiled by Waqas Azeem