Another Russian bank collapses
The Russian central bank has nationalised two of the country’s biggest banks. Is a systemic crisis now in the offing?
There are worrying signs in Russia's banking sector, says Ivana Kottasova on CNN Money. The Russian central bank has nationalised B&N Bank, the country's eighth-largest by assets. Only a few weeks ago it had to bail out the biggest private lender, Otkritie. Is a systemic crisis now in the offing?
The trouble in the sector stems from the oil-price collapse and recession of 2014, a downturn exacerbated by EU and US sanctions against Russian companies. The International Monetary Fund thinks up to 13.5% of all loans could be bad. The official figure is 10%.
The banking downturn is worst among the private banks, add Jake Rudnitsky and Anna Baraulina on Bloomberg. The central bank gave them carte blanche and cheap loans to take over struggling rivals when the recession hit, allowing non-state operators to build up strength while their government-backed counterparts dealt with sanctions. The Bank of Russia insists that a domino effect won't occur but given the financial authorities' forecasting record during the global crisis, means investors should keep a very close eye on Russia's banks.
MoneyWeek
Subscribe to MoneyWeek today and get your first six magazine issues absolutely FREE
Sign up to Money Morning
Don't miss the latest investment and personal finances news, market analysis, plus money-saving tips with our free twice-daily newsletter
Don't miss the latest investment and personal finances news, market analysis, plus money-saving tips with our free twice-daily newsletter
Get the latest financial news, insights and expert analysis from our award-winning MoneyWeek team, to help you understand what really matters when it comes to your finances.

-
The UK areas which saw biggest jump in asking prices in 2025 – is yours on the list?We look at the UK areas where asking prices rose the most last year.
-
‘Sandwich generation’ carers losing £6,000 a year to support elderly relativesMiddle-aged adults are often caught between caring for children or grandchildren and their elderly parents, leaving them taking time out of the workforce and facing a huge hit to wages while they are still trying to save for retirement. We look at the true cost of caring.