The results of the European stress tests initiated and coordinated by the European Banking Authority (EBA) are available. Two Polish banks participated in the EBA stress test exercise: PKO Bank Polski SA and Pekao SA.
This year’s exercise was conducted on a sample of 48 European banks, jointly accounting for approx. 70% of banking assets in the European Union and Norway. Stress tests represent a supervisory tool which is used to estimate banks’ solvency in case of potential macroeconomic shocks (a global economic downturn, an increase in the unemployment rate, the weakening of the Polish zloty against the euro and the Swiss franc, etc.).
Despite the application of an additional macroeconomic shock to Poland, assuming a significant economic downturn (a decrease in Poland’s GDP over the projection period, i.e. in the years 2018–2020), the stress test results show high resistance of the Polish banks.
The situation of the Polish banking sector has remained stable in the last quarters, which has been driven by both a persistently high growth rate and a further improvement in the labour market, and a positive shift in business and consumer sentiment.
Over the recent years, the Polish banking sector has reported a continuous increase in own funds and an increase in capital ratios. The KNF’s dividend policy, combined with high profits in the banking sector, allows for the development of appropriate capital buffers to ensure the orderly functioning of banks even during a crisis (an adverse scenario).
For more details on stress tests please visit the website of the European Banking Authority (EBA).
