Publication: Financial Sector Assessment : Saudi Arabia
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2005-01
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2013-09-30
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The capacity of the banking sector to respond to macroeconomic shocks, and regional uncertainties have been strengthened considerably over the past decade. Historically, the operating environment has been volatile as a result o f pervasive dependence on the hydrocarbon sector and swings in investor confidence associated with uncertainty in the region. This experience has helped shape fairly risk-averse portfolios: the bank-led financial system has functioned with substantial capital-adequacy ratios (CAR), loan-loss provisions, and liquidity buffers. The sector is highly profitable, with returns on assets averaging above 2 percent, supported by a large, low-cost demand deposit base. These buffers are underpinned by an effective regulatory and supervisory structure that proactively contains risk taking through the use o f maximum loan-deposit ratios, caps on individual and corporate indebtedness, and pre-approval requirements on foreign lending. The sector is supported by a modem and efficient payment and settlement infrastructure.
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“World Bank. 2005. Financial Sector Assessment : Saudi Arabia. © World Bank. http://hdl.handle.net/10986/15941 License: CC BY 3.0 IGO.”
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