ArmInfo. The replenishment of  Armenian banks' capital base by 15% per annum on July 1, 2017, or by  85.1 billion drams ($ 177.1 million) made it possible to accelerate  the credit growth rate to 16.6% from last year's 9.5%. Activation of  banks in the credit market, in turn, increased net profit in the  first half of 2017 by 49.5% per annum - up to 19.2 billion drams ($  39.9 million).

ArmInfo. In the aggregate loan  portfolio of Armenian banks, the NPL share decreased by July 1, 2017  year on year from 13.2% to 9.8%, reaching 269 billion AMD in absolute  terms. However, five banks, nevertheless, overshoot this indicator  for the maximum limit of the critical limit - 22-33% against the  internationally acceptable 10-15%.

ArmInfo. As of August 30 this  year, readiness to participate in the program expressed by 10 banks and 2  universal credit companies. These are ACBA Credit-Agricole Bank,  Ameriabank, ARARATBANK, Ardshinbank, Armswissbank, Converse Bank,  INECOBANK, Armbusinessbank, Armeconombank, Prometey Bank, as well as  UCC and .  

ArmInfo. Ardshinbank has provided Luys Foundation with AMD 100 million to support the Armenian youth enrolled in world best universities.  It's the fifth time that the Bank has been assisting the education foundation, and this year, too, the financial resources provided by the Bank will be targeted towards the development of the scholarship program.

ArmInfo. VTB Bank (Armenia), together with the international payment system MasterCard first in the banking market of Armenia launches Noncontact PayPass MasterCard payment cards.  The press service of the Bank told ArmInfo, by means of contactless cards MasterCard PayPass customers can very simply pay for purchases on the card via POS-terminals equipped with contactless technology.

ArmInfo.In the first half of  the year, the banking system of Armenia sent 21.9 billion AMD to the  state treasury, which is 12.9% higher than the figure of a year ago.  Of this amount, over 89% or 19.6 billion was paid on direct taxes  (including income tax and income tax), with an annual growth of  12.6%.

ArmInfo. Ardshinbank has one of  the largest branch networks in RA banking system. At present, the  Bank has 64 operating branches, out of which 19 in Yerevan, 42 in the  regions and 3 branches in NKR. The Bank highlights the role of the  regional offices and their uniform development, since the Bank's  policy aimed at upgrading regional branches is dictated, first of  all, by the interests of customers for whom Ardshinbank is trying to  create more comfortable and convenient banking service.

ArmInfo.Ardshinbank announces reduced interest rates and better lending terms for loans by pledge of real estate. Thus, the current interest rate on consumer loans starts from 14.95% per annum in AMD, from 11.95% per annum in USD (express renovation) and from 7.95% in Euro. To boost the businesses, including agribusiness, of legal entities and sole proprietors, the loan is provided at an interest rate starting from 15.95% per annum in AMD, from 11.95% in USD, from 8.5% in Euro. The loan term is up to 15 years.

ArmInfo. Banks of Armenia having significantly increased the buffer of capital over the past year, sharply intensified lending. According to the Express-Ranking of Armenian Banks as of July 1, 2017, prepared by the Analytical Service of the Information                 Company ArmInfo, the annual growth rates of crediting accelerated from last year's 12% to the current 20% to 2.6 trillion drams.  This increased assets more significantly - by 25.3% - to 4.2 trillion drams, compared to the year before (9.1%).

ArmInfo. Ardshinbank offers Visa *cardholders to make non-cash transactions and benefit from unprecedented terms of cashbackfrom July 18 to September 18. Rewards will go to those cardholderswho will be the first to exceed the minimum threshold limits for non-cash transactions defined by the Bank. In particular, those5 classic card owners who will make 6 and more **non-cash transactions in a month and will be the first to exceed the limit of AMD 100,000, will receive a cashback of AMD 50,000 directly to their card.

ArmInfo. Ardshinbank informs that international money transfers to almost all countries of the world are mainly effected within a day.

ArmInfo. Ardshinbank constantly expands the benefits of its payment cards, offering its customers a wide range of card products, features and preferences. An important component in the card business of the Bank are payroll cards, and the Bank links their development to the further success of modern and convenient card service for their holders.

ArmInfo. To activate the bond  market of Armenia, a national scale of ratings is needed. Arshinbank  Risk Management Director Artak Arzoyan expressed this opinion in an  interview with ArmInfo, explaining that local investors and borrowers  dominate the national financial market, and an internal credit rating  is required for the issuance of debt securities of certain  categories.

ArmInfo. International rating  agency Fitch hopes to increase the number of its customers in  Armenia. "We think, we hope, we hold meetings with financial  structures, corporate borrowers and other representatives of big  business at the level of owners and managers and we see great  interest and awareness of the necessity of passing rating  procedures," Fitch's regional head for Russia, CIS and the countries  of the Black Sea basin, the managing director of the Moscow office of  the agency Dmitry Surkov said on the fields of the conference in  Yerevan. According to him, many are aware of the necessity and  importance of ratings. This is also important for the regulator, as  the ratings give the market more transparency. "I think banks should  be interested in having their large borrowers have credit ratings as  a factor that they are able to disclose information," Surkov said,  adding that it will take time. He noted that the formation of the  rating portfolio in each country, as a rule, proceeds according to  the scheme:  obtaining a sovereign rating, then passing the rating  procedures from the side of commercial banks, followed by municipal  entities, and then - corporations. But, the expert believes,  corporates should have an incentive to the ratings, which are  necessary when issuing debt obligations. And here they are faced with  banks that are interested in lending and do not want to lose  borrowers. But on the other hand, companies should have an interest  in unsecured financing.

ArmInfo. Ardshinbank offers its customers all the benefits of safe-deposit boxes, affordable and convenient way to keep valuable things on summer holidays.

ArmInfo. Armenia's bond market  is well organized, and the environment created by regulators helps  attract investors. This opinion was voiced by the chief treasurer of  the Black Sea Trade and Development Bank (BSTDB) Christopher Best on  June 29 during a press conference timed to the placement of the first  AMD BSTDB bond issue, underwriters and market makers of which were  ARARATBANK and Future Capital Market".

ArmInfo. The Eurasian Development Bank (EDB)  proposed  Ardshinbank JSC  with  $ 20 million revolving credit  facility for a period of 3 years. The corresponding agreement was  signed on June 28, 2017 by Managing Director for Assets and  Liabilities of EDB Dmitry Ladikov-Roev and Chairman of the Board of  Ardshinbank  JSC Mher Grigoryan.

ArmInfo. Fitch Ratings assigned ACBA-Credit Agricole a "B +" rating with a "Long-term Issuer Default Rating" (IDR) rating. In the Fitch report, a solid core of internal financial viability determines assigning this very rating level to the bank.

ArmInfo. Armenian Agriculture Minister Ignatiy Araqelyan within the working session met with the representatives of the banking system of Armenia, in particular, with the head of the department of stability and development of the banking system of Armenian Central Bank Andranik Grigoryan, General Director of ACBA Credit-Agricole Bank Hakob Andreasyan and the Director General of VTB Bank (Armenia) Yuri Gusev.

ArmInfo. The customer base of Armenia's banking system totaled 2,343,225 individuals and 77,956 legal entities by April 2017. According to the Central Bank's data provided by the National Statistical Service of Armenia, a total of 2,421,181 customers had 4,355,612 accounts with Armenian banks, of which 4,196,171 were physical accounts and 159,441 were accounts of legal entities.