KUWAIT CITY/NEW YORK, Aug 31, (Agencies): National Bank of Kuwait (NBK) has been named, for the third consecutive time, one of the world’s safest banks in 2010 by the leading US-based Global Finance. NBK, which has been ranked 38 in the list, is the first and only Middle East and Arab bank to be enlisted among the safest world’s safest banks.
NBK has maintained its last year’s position, surpassing major international banks such as Deutsche Bank, JPMorgan Chase, Lloyds Banking Group, Societe General and Wells Fargo.
Introducing the world’s safest banks list, Global Finance said: “Bank stability and safety are still high on corporate and investor agendas. The sovereign debt crisis in Europe and renewed concerns about the global economic outlook are once again putting the spotlight on bank safety. Banks that cleaned up their balance sheets and strengthened their capital positions were the biggest gainers. Many of the big name banks that lost their safest bank ranking during the credit crunch are still absent from the list”.

Global Finance indicated that NBK was among the few banks that succeeded in achieving growth in both profits and shareholders equity, in addition to retaining the highest long-term credit ratings amongst all banks in emerging markets despite the adverse conditions prevailing in Kuwait and the Middle East region. Thanks to its conservative approach to risk management, NBK also succeeded in enhancing both the solidness of capital base and the quality of its assets. Consequently, this enabled NBK to retain the customers’ confidence and become the first and only Arab bank that maintains an advanced ranking amongst the top-50 safest banks of the world.
“Banks that have strengthened their liquidity positions and the quality and quantity of their capital are recognized in these rankings,” says Global Finance publisher Joseph D. Giarraputo. “More than even, customers around the world are viewing long-term creditworthiness as the key feature of banks with which they do business.”

With bank stability still high on corporate and investor agendas, Global Finance publishes its 19th annual list of the world’s safest banks. The sovereign debt crisis in Europe and renewed concerns about the global economic outlook are once again putting the spotlight on bank safety.
It should be somewhat reassuring that 45 of the top-50 safest banks is this year’s listing maintained their standing among the top echelon in this year’s ranking. Banks that cleaned up their balance sheets and strengthened their capital positions were the biggest gainers. In many instances, non-performing loans have been reduced significantly. Several major British banks have rejoined the top 50, although many of the big name banks that lost their safest bank ranking during the credit crunch are still absent from the list.

The “World’s 50 Safest Banks” 2010 were selected through a comparison of the long-term credit ratings and total assets of the 500 largest banks around the world. Ratings from Moody’s, Standard & Poor’s and Fitch were used.
Global Finance has published its “World’s Safest Banks” listing for 19 years and this ranking has become a recognized and trusted standard of creditworthiness for the entire financial world.
This exclusive survey will be published in the October issue. The banks ranked 1-10 will be presented awards at a special ceremony to be held during the Annual Meetings of the IMF and World Bank in Washington in October.

World’s 50 Safest Banks 2010
1. Caisse des Depots et Consignations (CDC), (France)
2. Bank Nederlandse Gemeenten, (Netherlands)
3. Zuercher Kantonalbank, (Switzerland)
4. Landwirtschaftliche Rentenbank, (Germany)
5. Rabobank Group, (Netherlands)
6. Landeskreditbank Baden-Wuerttem-berg – Foerderbank, (Germany)
7. Nederlandse Waterschapsbank, (Netherlands)
8. KfW, (Germany)
9. NRW.Bank, (Germany)
10. Royal Bank of Canada, (Canada)
11. National Australia Bank, (Australia)
12. Westpac Banking Corporation, (Australia)
13. Commonwealth Bank of Australia, (Australia)
14. Banco Santander, (Spain)
15. Toronto-Dominion Bank, (Canada)
16. Australia and New Zealand Banking Group, (Australia)
17. ASB Bank, (New Zealand)
18. BNP Paribas, (France)
19. HSBC Holdings, (United Kingdom)
20. Credit Agricole, (France)
21. Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria (BBVA), (Spain)
22. Scotiabank, (Canada)
23. DBS Bank, (Singapore)
24. Banco Espanol de Credito S.A. (Banesto), (Spain)
25. Caisse centrale Desjardins, (Canada)
26. Credit Suisse, (Switzerland)
27. Nordea, (Sweden)
28. la Caixa, (Spain)
29. Svenska Handelsbanken, (Sweden)
30. BNY Mellon, (United States)
31. Oversea-Chinese Banking Corporation, (Singapore)
32. United Overseas Bank, (Singapore)
33. Pohjola Bank, (Finland)
34. Barclays Bank, (United Kingdom)
35. Intesa Sanpaolo, (Italy)
36. BMO Financial Group, (Canada)
37. CIBC, (Canada)
38. National Bank Of Kuwait, (Kuwait)
39. Deutsche Bank, (Germany)
40. JPMorgan Chase, (United States)
41. Lloyds Banking Group, (United Kingdom)
42. Société Générale, (France)
43. Wells Fargo, (United States)
44. Banque Federative du Credit Mutuel (BFCM), (France)
45. Landesbank Baden-Wuerttemberg, (Germany)
46. Credit Industriel et Commercial (CIC), (France)
47. Nationwide Building Society, (United Kingdom)
48. US Bancorp, (United States)
49. Landesbank Hessen- Thueringen Girozentrale, (Germany)
50. Shizuoka Bank, Japan