The international rating agency Fitch has downgraded the long-term ratings of major French banks. According to the official press release from Fitch, it concerns the banks Credit Agricole, Societe Generale, Groupe BPCE, Dexia and Dexia Credit Local and their ratings were lowered by one point – from A + to A.
Also were lowered short-term ratings of the banks listed above by one point – from F1 + to F1.
Long-term rating of La Banque Postale was lowered from AA-to A + of (short-term rating is affirmed at F1).
Sustainability ratings of all banks remain the same. The outlook for all ratings is “stable.”
The downgrade of the leading banks is associated with a decrease in long-term credit rating of France by one point – from AAA to AA, which took place on 13 July 2013.
According to Fitch, at the moment the French government has less room to support the banking system of the country than ever before, which caused the downgrade.
Agency experts have pointed out that the financial problems of these banks (if any) can lead to a deterioration of “extremely precarious situation in the European banking sector.”