PARTIAL CREDIT ENHANCEMENT (PCE)

Nov. 3, 2018

RBI permitted banks to provide partial credit enhancement (PCE), or a partial guarantee, to bonds issued by systematically important NBFCs and Housing Finance Companies, a move that will enhance their liquidity position.

About:

  • PCE is a mechanism through which a bond issuer attempts to improve its debt or credit worthiness by providing an additional comfort to the lender.

  • It provides the bond purchaser reassurance that the borrower will honour its repayment through additional collateral, insurance, or a third-party guarantee.

Recent notification:

  • It has now been decided to allow banks to provide PCE to bonds issued by the
    • systemically important non-deposit taking non-banking financial companies (NBFC-ND-SIs) registered with the Reserve Bank of India and

    • Housing Finance Companies (HFCs) registered with National Housing Bank.



  • The proceeds from the bonds backed by PCE from banks should only be utilised for refinancing the existing debt of the NBFC-ND-SIs/HFCs.

  • The exposure of a bank by way of PCEs to bonds issued by each such NBFC-ND-SI/HFC shall be restricted to one percent of capital funds of the bank within the borrower exposure limits.

Comment:

  • The move comes in the aftermath of Global ratings agency Moody's recent report that had warned that non-banking financial companies (NBFCs) may be impacted significantly if the liquidity situation, triggered by IL&FS default, continues to remain tight.

Source : Livemint