Romania's 40 banks up assets in 2012 while non-performing loans rate also increases

The Romanian banking sector had higher assets end 2012 than at the end of the previous year, with foreign investors controlling the majority of the market, even if at a slightly lower rate than at the end of 2011. With net assets of some EUR 82.2 billion end – 2012 (the equivalent of RON 365 billion), Romania's banks managed to go up from EUR 79.5 billion (or RON 353 billion). The peak of assets was however achieved during 2012, in September, when the banking assets on the Romanian market reached EUR 83.9 billion (or RON 373.5 billion), according to data from the Romanian Central Bank (BNR). Foreign owners control 81.7 percent of the banking assets, compared to 83 percent in December 2011. The solvability ratio in the system was of 14.6 percent, close to the level at end 2011. Meanwhile, the rate of non-performing loans went up four percentage points, to 18.23 percent. Romania has 40 banks, out of which 8 are subsidiaries of foreign banks. The largest lender by assets in Romania is Banca Comerciala Romana (BCR), covering some 20 percent of the Romanian banking market. Corina Chirileasa, corina@romania-insider.com (photo source: sxc.hu)