Fitch: Polish lenders are strong enough to cushion CHF growth

Due to the growth of risk assets ratio and margin calls, CHF appreciation to CEE currencies will be noticeable for Polish lenders in the short-term, according to Fitch rating agency. Strong liquidity and capital standing will cushion the impact, Puls Biznesu daily reported. Margin calls regarding foreign exchange swaps may be crucial for lenders with broad CHF credit portfolios in comparison to portfolios in general. These include: Getin Noble Bank, Bank Millenium and Bank Zachodni WBK and Bank Ochrony Środowiska. Polish lenders have improved their liquidity since the financial crisis, therefore they should be strong enough to absorb the margin calls, Fitch claimed. What is more, the agency estimated that the growth of risk assets ratio will slightly affect CAT 1 liquidity ratio (a decline of around 13.3 percent). At the end of September 2014, 38 percent of mortgage loans in Poland were in Swiss francs, Puls Biznesu pointed out.