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Crédit Agricole sealed by its subsidiary in Greece

Crédit Agricole has extended by one year the return to profit of its Greek subsidiary Emporiki due to credit losses more than expected because of the recession in Greece. The woes of its Greek subsidiary Crédit Agricole will require to spend a further depreciation of 400 million euros in its accounts the second quarter, after the 500 million spent last year.

The French bank, which bought Emporiki in 2006, told analysts still expected a pretax loss of 130 million euros for its subsidiary in 2011, instead of a profit of around 10 million expected initially. For 2010, the expected loss for Emporiki will also increase, to EUR -750 000 000 -350 000 000 cons around. Return to the green accounts is the Greek subsidiary of the blow pushed to 2012 instead of 2011.Around 12:30, the Crédit abandoned agricultural 4.9% to 9.472 euros, underperforming the sector index Stoxx 600 European banks (-2.13%). BNP Paribas and Societe Generale fell by 3.3% and 4.6%.

Battered stock market because of fears surrounding its exposure to the crisis in Greek, the title Credit Agricole sells more than 22% since January 1. Pressed by the market, the bank eventually amount to 850 million euro exposure to sovereign debt Greek."We realize qu'Emporiki always weighs more heavily on agricultural credit, with a cost of risk emerges from 450 million euros more than expected in the original plan," said Tom Bartholomew, head of credit research at Louis Capital Market.

Standardization in 2013

The economic crisis in Greece was in fact forced Crédit Agricole to harden its scenario losses on credit, which is increased by 450 million euros between 2010 and 2013. According to the bank, the cost of risk will normalize in 2013. Leaded by two successive years of losses in 2008 and 2009, Emporiki has also been recapitalized in March by Credit Agricole, to the tune of 989 million euros.

Its parent company now estimates qu'Emporiki will have a "specific need" for 550 million of additional capital by the end of 2011 to confront the crisis and complete its restructuring.Taken to a drastic plan to reduce its costs, the Greek subsidiary of Crédit Agricole had already planned last year to reduce its overhead 21% and close 57 branches, resulting in the departure of 1,500 employees.

The French bank believes that the decline in enrollment of Emporiki will be "faster" in 2010 but "slower than anticipated in 2011. In this scenario, the operating rate of Emporiki will improve faster than expected in 2011 to 62.5% instead of 68.8%.