The most important banks in Europe and the UK reported a decline in their capital ratios in the first quarter of 2020, thanks to their efforts to increase lending to Covid-struck companies and economies.
According to banking industry body Afme’s first-quarter Prudential Data Report, the average Common Equity Tier 1 ratio — a key measure of balance-sheet strength — of systemically-important banks in Europe decreased from 13.6% in the fourth quarter of 2019 to 13.4%.
