Fortis Bank needs cash to secure its loans to customers

As of the end of June, customers owed Fortis Bank some zł.9 billion, which is zł.2 billion more than in December of 2006. The result of such pace of growth was a fall in the solvency ratio - the basic measure of security in the banking sector. The ratio amounted to 9.5% as compared to the 8% required by the banking supervisory commission. "We are still thinking how the capital will be increased. We are considering a share issue aimed at our main shareholder or at external investors, but it can also be in the form of a subordinated loan," announced Jan Bujak.(Parkiet, p. 5; Rzeczpospolita, p. B5; Dziennik, The Wall Street Journal Polska, p. 12) A.K.