France's SocGen to provision up to €5 billion this year: CEO

PARIS: French bank Societe Generale expects to have to provision €3.5 billion euros to 5 billion euros (US$3.84 billion-US$5.49 blillion this year because of losses due to the coronavirus crisis, its chief executive said in an interview on Saturday (May 2).

Frederic Oudea also said he expected the bank's equity ratio to drop to between 11 per cent and 11.5 per cent percent, which would remain 200 to 250 basis points above minimum legal requirements, he said.

Shares in France's third biggest listed bank fell sharply on Thursday after it surprised investors with a quarterly loss, hiking provisions for bad loans and suffering a revenue wipeout at its equity trading division.

"It is by far the most serious crisis we have had to face," Oudea told Les Echos. But Oudea added that, unlike during the 2008-2009 financial crisis, banks had enough provisions to cope.

"During the previous crisis, banks were the problem. Today, they have a driving role to play and are taking part in the solution," he said.

 

Source: https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/business/france-s-socgen-to-provision-up-to-5-billion-this-year-ceo-12696806

 

PLUS D'ACTUALITÉS

Share this page Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on Linkedin
Close

Read our latest publication

'Bahrain-France Investor Guide' -
is YOUR guide to invest in Bahrain and in France. Click here to view the online guide