Banks' equity increased, but their asset value was down in January. — Photo hanoimoi.com.vn

HA NOI (Biz Hub) — The combined equity of all lenders in the domestic banking system reached nearly VNĐ580.3 trillion (US$25.8 billion) ending January, an increase of VNĐ2.3 trillion over the end of 2015.

Thời báo Ngân hàng (The Banking Times) reported the figures, citing the latest data of the State Bank of Việt Nam (SBV).

The increase was mainly thanks to joint ventures and foreign banks, whose equity rose by VNĐ2.5 trillion at VNĐ119.7 trillion, and State-run commercial banks, whose equity expanded by VNĐ1 trillion at VNĐ204.3 trillion.

While the equity of joint stock commercial banks was down VNĐ1.6 trillion at VNĐ234.8 trillion, the equity of financial companies and finance lease firms was up VNĐ225 billion at roughly VNĐ18 trillion, and that of the Co-operative Bank of Việt Nam rose by VNĐ106 billion at VNĐ3.6 trillion.

However, total assets of the lenders touched nearly VNĐ7.3 quadrillion on January 31, 2016, a decrease of VNĐ32.3 trillion over the end of 2015.

The decrease was due to the decline in the assets of State-run commercial banks and joint stock commercial banks, the two groups of lenders that have the largest asset values in the banking system.

In January, State-run commercial banks saw a decline of one per cent in total assets, and joint stock commercial banks witnessed a fall of 0.17 per cent.

Joint venture and foreign banks registered a 0.33 per cent rise in total assets, and financial companies and finance lease firms posted an increase of 2.71 per cent.

The rises in total assets were 2.47 per cent for the Co-operative Bank of Việt Nam, 0.48 per cent for the People's Credit Fund, and 0.05 per cent for the Việt Nam Bank for Social Policies.

At the end of January, the capital adequacy ratio (CAR) of the banking system reached 12.86 per cent, down slightly from the 13 per cent recorded at the end of 2015, but significantly higher than the secure level of 9 per cent stipulated by the SBV. — VNS