UK: Large banks could withstand a major shock? – BNP Paribas

Laure Baquero, Analyst at BNP Paribas, points out that in 2018, the Bank of England (BoE) brought forward the publication of its stress test results and the evaluated banks started the 2018 BoE’s stress test with an aggregate Common Equity Tier 1 (CET1) 3.5 times higher than the level seen before the 2008 crisis according, to BoE estimates.

Key Quotes

“It has been rising constantly since 2014, which means that UK banks have been strengthening their capital positions.”

“The BoE is satisfied with the 2018 results since each of the seven banks assessed would keep its CET1 capital above the minimum requirement even in the event of a shock deemed to be more severe than the 2008/09 crisis, and sufficiently severe to cover a disorderly Brexit scenario.”