中國放松銀行貸款損失準備要求

China’s banking regulator has softened rules requiring lenders to set aside provisions against losses on bad loans, to encourage banks to provide more trustworthy assessments of their health.

中國的銀行業(yè)監(jiān)管機構軟化了要求銀行對不良貸款損失撥備的規(guī)則，以鼓勵各銀行提供更為可信的健康評估。

The move suggests that even as regulators pursue a “regulatory windstorm” to curb excess in the banking system, they are calibrating their efforts to ensure lenders are providing enough credit to keep the economy humming.

此舉似乎表明，即便在監(jiān)管機構掀起“監(jiān)管風暴”以遏制銀行體系中出格行為的同時，他們也在微調自己的努力，以確保銀行提供足夠信貸來保持經濟運轉。

For years investors have viewed Chinese banks’ official non-performing loan (NPL) ratios with scepticism, amid suspicion that lenders use loan rollovers or off-balance-sheet accounting to disguise the extent of credit losses.

多年來，投資者一直以懷疑的眼光看待中國銀行業(yè)的官方不良貸款(NPL)率，其背景是有人懷疑銀行使用貸款滾轉或表外會計手法來掩飾信貸損失程度。

At the same time, the China Banking Regulatory Commission (CBRC) has enforced among the highest requirements for loan-loss provisions of any large economy. The rules required commercial lenders to set aside provisions equal to 150 per cent of NPLs and 2.5 per cent of loans.

與此同時，中國銀行業(yè)監(jiān)督管理委員會(CBRC)實行的貸款損失準備要求處于大型經濟體中最高的要求之列。相關規(guī)則要求商業(yè)銀行的撥備覆蓋率達到150%，貸款撥備率(撥貸比)達到2.5%。

Under new rules sent to banks last month, the CBRC will allow province-level bank regulators to ease the ratios to as low as 120 per cent and 1.5 per cent, according to local media including Economic Information Daily, a unit of the official Xinhua news agency. The lower requirement will free up money that can be booked as profit or used for lending.

據官方的新華社旗下的《經濟參考報》(Economic Information Daily)報道，根據上月向銀行下發(fā)的新規(guī)則，銀監(jiān)會將允許省級銀行監(jiān)管機構將這兩個比率分別降低至120%和1.5%。較低的要求將釋放可被記為利潤或用于放貸的資金。

The new rules bring China closer to international standards. Most countries force banks to set aside provisions equal to between 50 per cent and 100 per cent of NPLs, according to research by Dong Ximiao, senior analyst at the Chongyang Institute for Financial Studies.

新規(guī)則使中國更接近國際標準。根據重陽金融研究院(Chongyang Institute for Financial Studies)高級研究員董希淼的研究，多數國家要求銀行達到50%至100%的撥備覆蓋率。

“Lowering these ratios will help banks to strike a balance between controlling risks and earning profits, while strengthening their willingness and ability to create credit and support the real economy,” said Mr Dong

. “降低這些比率將有助于銀行在控制風險和賺取利潤之間達到平衡，同時加強他們創(chuàng)造信貸、支持實體經濟的意愿和能力，”董希淼表示。

China’s system-wide provisions equalled 181 per cent of NPLs and 3.2 per cent of total loans — well above the regulatory minimums. But some individual lenders have struggled to comply.

就中國的整個銀行體系而言，撥備覆蓋率達到181%，貸款撥備率達到3.2%，遠高于監(jiān)管設定的最低標準。但是個別銀行難以達標。

Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, the world’s largest lender by assets, has repeatedly breached the 150 per cent threshold in recent years, while it and other large lenders have privately lobbied for the standard to be lowered.

按資產計算為全球最大銀行的中國工商銀行(ICBC)近年一再打破150%的下限，與此同時該行和其他大銀行私下游說降低標準。

An index of mainland-listed blue-chip banks was up 1.4 per cent in Shanghai at midday yesterday, while the broader blue-chip CSI 300 index was flat. Large banks, which have access to the highest quality borrowers, are expected to benefit most from the relaxation. China bank shares have surged this year amid a strong economy.

截至昨日上海午盤，在內地上市的藍籌銀行股指數上漲1.4%，而追蹤所有板塊藍籌股的滬深300指數(CSI 300)持平。能夠接觸最優(yōu)質借款人的大銀行預計將是此次規(guī)則放松的最大受益者。在經濟強勁的背景下，中國銀行股今年大漲。

“Of course, the most direct impact is to reduce the provisioning pressure on banks, which is good for profits. I expect profit growth at listed banks to be notably better in this year than last,” said Mr Dong.

“當然，最直接的影響是減輕銀行的撥備壓力，這對利潤有利。我預計今年上市銀行的利潤增長將明顯好于去年，”董希淼表示。