A LIQUIDITY ASSESSMENT OF THE BULGARIAN BANKING SYSTEM (2009–2013)

Abstract

Liquidity is of great significance for the stability of credit institutions and the banking system as a whole. In normal circumstances, the capital adequacy of banks is determined as a key factor for stability. But, during economic crisis, the susceptibility of credit institutions to a shortage of available cash resources in order to cover depositors’ withdrawals is intensified. This directs our attention toward effective liquidity management. Financial cataclysms on a global scale caused by the crisis in the USA during 2007, and the speedy “infection” of the economies of the developed countries showed that gaps in the management of financial institutions can lead to considerable losses on a world-wide scale. The aim of this study is to assess the liquidity situation of the Bulgarian banking system based on generally accessible (public) information by applying ratio analysis tools. Through the use of key indicators of liquidity assessment, the trends in its development for 2007-2013 are presented. A general assessment of the liquidity situation for banks in Bulgaria is outlined.