Eurobank to sell EUR 0.5 bln bad loan portfolio in Romania

Greek group Eurobank, which owns Romanian lenders Bancpost and Eurobank Retail Services, will put up for sale a package of non-performing loans (NPL) with a nominal value of EUR 0.5 billion, according to sources cited by localZiarul Financiar. Most of these loans were granted by Bancpost and Eurobank Retail Services, but the package also includes loans granted by Eurobank directly to Romanian companies, that the group removed from its balance sheet. Bancpost, which ranks 10th among local banks, had a NPL ratio of 16.3% at the end of June this year. Bancpost’s loan protfolio amounts to some EUR 1.6 billion. Local lender BCR recently gave up its plans to sell a package of non-performing loans worth EUR 3.6 billion, as the received offers were too low. editor@romania-insider.com