EBA sees first impact of COVID-19 materialising in EU banks’ Q1 data
The European Banking Authority (EBA) published today its quarterly Risk Dashboard together with the results of the Risk Assessment Questionnaire (RAQ). The updated data shows that the impact of COVID-19 was mainly reflected in a contraction of banks’ capital ratios and profitability, the cost of risk increased, whereas non-performing loans (NPL) ratios remained stable, confirming that the impact of the pandemic on asset quality can be delayed. The EBA also published a thematic note on leveraged finance, which highlights that the expansion of this market segment in recent years has come along with a significant easing of credit standards.