Virus Seen Adding $100 Billion to Asian Bank Credit Costs

  • S&P estimates $211 billion in lost company, household incomes
  • Firm cuts 2020 growth forecast for Asia-Pacific region to 4%
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The coronavirus outbreak will add $100 billion in credit losses to banks in the Asia-Pacific region this year with Chinese lenders bearing the brunt of the damage, according to S&P Global Inc.

“Some activity will be lost forever,” Shaun Roache, S&P’s Asia-Pacific chief economist, wrote in a note on Tuesday. “We estimate an income loss of about $211 billion, which will blow a hole in balance sheets across the region.”