Evolving key risks in the banking sector and related priorities for the SSM

While greater inflation may have led to some positive “first-round” effects for banks, several negative “second-round” impacts may occur, including: i) an increase in credit risk, affecting both families and companies, especially “heavy energy users”; ii) a drop in the value of fixed-rate assets held by lenders, including sovereign bonds; iii) liquidity pressures due to the ECB’s recent decision to increase the cost of its outstanding 3-year facilities and to greater competition for retail deposits; iv) additional geopolitical risks, including local conflicts in Kosovo, Taiwan or Korea.