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Time in Yerevan: 11:07,   29 March 2024

Fitch downgrades Azerbaijani rating to negative level

Fitch downgrades Azerbaijani rating to negative level

YEREVAN, AUGUST 27, ARMENPRESS. Fitch Ratings has affirmed Azerbaijan's Long-Term Foreign and Local Currency Issuer Default Ratings (IDR) at 'BB+' with Negative Outlooks. The issue rating on Azerbaijan's senior unsecured Foreign-Currency bond has also been affirmed at 'BB+'. The Country Ceiling has been affirmed at 'BB+'. The Short-Term Foreign- and Local-Currency IDRs have been affirmed at 'B' and the issue rating on Azerbaijan's senior unsecured Short-Term Local-Currency bond has been affirmed at 'B', “Armenpress” reports, citing the website of Fitch Ratings.

According to Fitch, the plunge in oil prices has hit Azerbaijan hard. A delayed and poorly communicated exchange rate devaluation and subsequent plunge in capital spending is reverberating across the economy and increasing strains in the banking sector.

Fiscal performance is being hit by the fall in oil prices and a consolidated general government deficit of 7.3% of GDP is forecast for 2016 (the 'BB' median is a deficit of 3.7% of GDP). The deficit compares favourably with Fitch's previous forecast of 12.5% of GDP due to a modest improvement in our oil price assumptions and a much sharper than expected fall in capital spending. Government debt/GDP is forecast to rise modestly from the projected end-2016 level of 31% of GDP (peer median 51.4% of GDP).

The weakness of the banking sector, which Fitch's Banking System Indicator rates at 'b', is being exacerbated by the devaluation and shrinking economy. NPLs rose to 8.4% at end-June, from 6.9% at end-2015 according to Central Bank data. 








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