Tighter mortgage underwriting standards proposed by Norway’s FSA are credit positive for Norwegian covered bonds and banks, Moody’s said yesterday (Monday), highlighting a cap on loan-to-income ratio limits and lower LTV ratios.

New caps on LTV ratios that took effect in Finland last week are credit positive for Finnish covered bonds, according to Moody’s, reducing credit risk at the whole-loan level and adding to protections in the Finnish covered bond framework.

Storebrand Boligkreditt repaid a maturing Norwegian krone covered bond two days late last week, according to Moody’s, which said that the payment delay was due to a technical error, is not considered a default, and has not affected the credit quality of the programme.

Norwegian covered bonds exposed to oil price-sensitive markets will be able to withstand the effects of persistent low prices thanks to sufficient levels of surplus OC, according to Moody’s, with the rating agency also noting that the relevant programmes should prove resilient to a consequent weakening of the Norwegian economy.

Moody’s has improved its outlook on the Swedish banking system from negative to stable, citing the positive impact of strong economic growth on asset quality and profitability, but the rating agency also warned of the consequences of a housing boom.

Finland came second to Germany in a ranking by Moody’s of eight covered bond jurisdictions according to how they deal with the consequences of an issuer default, with Norway and Sweden being placed mid-table.

A Swedish government plan to introduce a legislative 2% minimum overcollateralisation level – prompted by EU derivatives clearing regulations – would be credit positive for covered bonds, according to Moody’s.

The expected implementation in Norway of a resolution regime equivalent to the EU Bank Recovery & Resolution Directive (BRRD) will result in Norwegian covered bonds having less exposure to bank defaults and losses, Moody’s said last Friday (14 August), highlighting the rating benefits this has led to.

Moody’s upgraded six Nordic issuers yesterday (Wednesday) – Danske, DNB, Handelsbanken, Nykredit Realkredit, SEB and Swedbank – citing strong macro profiles, healthy and strengthened core financial ratios and benefits of the introduction of bail-in regimes across the region.

Moody’s upgraded the rating of covered bonds issued by Aktia Real Estate Mortgage Bank (REMB) from Aa2 to Aaa yesterday (Thursday), following the introduction of Counterparty Risk (CR) assessments to its methodology.