Spanish banks enjoyed a strong Q3 driven again by high interest margins and low provisions. The challenge now is to return to steady loan growth while generating more commissions as interest margins shrink. Extension of the bank tax could erode profits.

The credit rating Outlooks for supranational institutions and multilateral development banks (MDBs) rated by Scope remain Stable, signalling that risks facing the high-rated issuers are balanced going into the new year despite geopolitical uncertainties.

Italian banks have revised their 2024 earnings forecasts after strong nine-month results underpinned by resilient net interest income, a rebound in fees, and solid credit quality. Lenders are now focused on stabilising profits through the rate cycle.

Homeowners in some European markets prefer floating-rate mortgages while others prefer longer-dated fixed interest rates. Given that borrowing costs are all linked to the same ECB rates, this is somewhat counter intuitive.

Scope has published the annual update of its General Project Finance Rating Methodology. The changes are mainly editorial and aimed at providing further clarity and ensuring consistency with Scope’s other rating methodologies and rating definitions.

As challenging as France’s fiscal and political outlooks are, the country’s underlying credit strengths include a favourable profile of government debt – for which there is ample investor appetite – a resilient economy and well-capitalised banks.

Global Capital has opened the call for nominations for its European Securitization Awards 2025. Awards are selected following a two-stage process: nominations will form the basis of a shortlist for each award that is then voted on by market participants.

The recent UK Court of Appeal ruling in favour of consumers on undisclosed commissions on car finance is expected to have a moderate impact on UK banks rated by Scope, reducing profits at some banks but not posing systemic risk.

Germany needs a stable and reform-oriented government to respond to the impact of president-elect Donald Trump’s potential policy shifts that will impact Germany’s trade, fiscal and defence policies.

Donald Trump’s emphatic victory in the US presidential elections is net credit negative for the US in the medium term by raising financial risks although nearer-term implications for the economy are more mixed.