Moody's cut credit ratings of several small to mid-sized US banks on Monday and said it may downgrade some of the nation's biggest lenders, warning that the sector's credit strength will likely be tested by funding risks and weaker profitability.
Report informs via Reuters that Moody's cut the ratings of 10 banks by one notch and placed six banking giants, including Bank of New York Mellon (BK.N), US Bancorp (USB.N), State Street (STT.N) and Truist Financial (TFC.N) on review for potential downgrades.
The agency said that the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank earlier this year sparked a crisis of confidence in the US banking sector, leading to a run on deposits at a host of regional banks despite authorities launching emergency measures to shore up confidence.
"Many banks' second-quarter results showed growing profitability pressures that will reduce their ability to generate internal capital," Moody's said in a note.
"This comes as a mild U.S. recession is on the horizon for early 2024 and asset quality looks set to decline, with particular risks in some banks’ commercial real estate (CRE)portfolios."