YEREVAN, February 14. /ARKA/. Armenian banks invested AMD 178.1 billion in government bonds in 2012 – 30.2% growth since the beginning of the year, ARKA News Agency’s analysis based on banks’ financial reports shows.

Investments in government securities accounted for 7.8% of banks’ assets in late December 2012 against 6.6% in the beginning of the year.

Banks’ reports show that their aggregate securities portfolio amounted to 183.9 billion in late Dec 2012. Government securities’ share here is 96.8%.

HSBC Bank Armenia was the largest investor in securities in 2012. It invested AMD 34.4 billion, of which AMD 33.9 billion or 98.72% were government bonds. Its investments in nongovernmental securities totaled AMD 441.5 million and made up 1.28% of its securities portfolio. HSBC interest income from investments in debt securities amounted to AMD 3142 million and made up 18.4% of its total interest income for the fourth quarter of 2012.

Armbusinessbank, with its AMD 20.6 billion, was the second biggest investor in 2012. Its investments in government bonds made up 99.69% of its securities portfolio, and investment in nongovernmental securities 0.31%. The bank’s interest income from investing in debt securities amounted to AMD 1003 million and constituted 5.9% of its total interest income in the fourth quarter 2012.

Armswissbank came third in ARKA News Agency’s ranking. It invested AMD 18.3 billion, of which 95.81 were government securities, and 4.19% were non-government securities.
Twenty one commercial banks with their 479 branches functioned in Armenia in late December 2012. ($1 – AMD 406.74). -0--