Concerning Handelsbanken's capital situation
The Swedish Financial Supervisory Authority (FI) yesterday presented its view* of the future capital requirements for the largest four Swedish banks.
The Authority writes:
"The major Swedish banks should be prepared for Sweden implementing the new regulations more quickly than the transitional regulations proposed by the Basel Committee. Within a few years, the requirements for the major Swedish banks are expected to be 15-16 per cent for total capital, of which at least 10-12 percentage points must be core Tier 1 capital."
The corresponding figures for Handelsbanken according to the current Basel II regulations were 20.9 per cent at the year-end for the total capital ratio, of which 13.8 percentage points was core Tier 1 capital. The impact of the transition to the Basel III regulations is expected to give an effect of minus 1.5 percentage points making a total capital ratio of 19.4 per cent, of which 12.3 percentage points is core Tier 1 capital.
Thus, Handelsbanken already has a capital situation that corresponds to the indicated, future levels by a good margin.
*Link to FI (in Swedish):
For further information, please contact:
Ulf Riese, CFO, +46 8 - 22 92 20
Mikael Hallåker, Investor Relations, +46 8 - 22 92 20, mobile: +4670 - 266 29 95
For more information about Handelsbanken, please go to: www.handelsbanken.com