Report says recession in the region will be more severe than elsewhere because of economic imbalances
Eastern European countries have entered a 鈥渄eep and long economic downturn鈥�, a report by Moody鈥檚 Investor Services has warned.
The ratings company said some of Europe鈥檚 largest banks could be downgraded because of loans to eastern Europe.
A 鈥渃ontinuous downward rating pressure鈥� in the area has led to worsening asset quality and western banks鈥� reliance on short-term funding, the report said.
The recession in eastern Europe will reportedly be more severe on average given the region鈥檚 generally large macroeconomic imbalances, such as fiscal and current account deficits.
Moody鈥檚 said the scarcity of international funding would force the deficits to 鈥渃ontract abruptly鈥�, resulting in more significant declines in domestic demand and overall GDP.
The report added the 鈥渧ulnerability of countries with large external deficits has therefore increased substantially鈥�.
Modern banking systems in eastern Europe have only emerged recently, in the past two decades. They are therefore more vulnerable in times of financial turmoil because they do not maintain the same level of maturity as their western European counterparts.
Around $52bn has been offered in aid to Latvia, Hungary, Serbia and the Ukraine by the International Monetary Fund over the last six months. According to Capital Economics research, these bailouts could extend to Bulgaria, Romania, Lithuania and Estonia.
The MSCI East Europe Financials Index dropped 16% to the lowest in nearly six years following Moody鈥檚 report.
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