Nearly two weeks ago we penned "These Three Spanish Banks Will Be Downgraded Tomorrow [6]" which showed which banks had a rating higher than the sovereign following Moody's long overdue Spanish downgrade, and thus were about to be downgraded by many notches. Today, after a ridiculously long delay whose only purpose was to buy time, Moody's is about to junk virtually the entire Spanish banking sector, as was widely expected.The downgrade is expected to happen within hours.
From Expansion [7] (google translated [8])
After cutting the rating of Baa3 and Spain to threaten to put Spanish debt at the level of junk bond no later than 30 days, has reviewed the notes of all banks. "We have reported a reduction of two or three notches (steps) to almost everyone. Do not look at individual financial statements of each entity. Do not discriminate, "added the sources.
And is that the sector is particularly annoying because automatically cut the rating of the bank once they do the same with the state. The statement, as indicated by financial sources will be announced after twelve hours have told the entities, ie, probably after 23:00 tonight.
The biggest problem is that many entities will enter into the very undesirable group of fallen angels. Typically, banks with a rating lower than the state and how it is now just one step from losing investment grade, most of the financial sector will receive a rating of junk bond. Possibly, only the big banks such as Santander, BBVA or get rid CaixaBank will fall to that level.
This is the third hit Spanish banks received in just over a month. Moody's has already cut the rating of several entities on 17 May. Downgraded the debt of 16 Spanish companies between one and three steps, also as a result of cutting Spanish debt rating a few days.
Of course, since no Spanish banks have access to the non-ECB mediated market, this move is largely symbolic but further cements the country's status as financial system pariah and the next Greece.