Over 12 months all the institutions of the country signed to 9

Worn by the explosion year last credit in China, Industrial Commercial Bank of China (ICBC), which is presented as the largest bank in the world with a capitalization of $ 232 billion was recorded, in 2009, an increase of 16 net profit. If this rate of growth, which has suffered from the low level of interest rates, is well below the performance recorded by the Group since 2004, it still allows the public company to confirm its status as the most profitable Bank in the world with a net income of 128,65 billion yuan (14,17 billion euros). End of January, the US bank Goldman Sachs had, she unveiled a net profit of 13.4 billion (10,04 billion).

Last year, the Chinese group has fully participated in the campaign of support for the economy orchestrated by the central Government in validating 16.2 per cent of loans more than in 2008. Over 12 months, all the institutions of the country signed to 9.600 billion yuan of new credits to State enterprises and financial vehicles to local communities, who have, with the capital, fueled an extensive programme of investment but also doped more risky investments in the stock market and real estate.

More "reasonable" in 2010

If this windfall allowed the nation to generate a thrust of 8.7 of GDP, it has slightly destabilized the confidence of large banking groups, which now questioned the viability of many of their clients. Yesterday, ICBC has indicated that more than 60 of new loans were used to finance investments linked to the water, the environment, transport and public service work. Sometimes hardly transformed into revenues, these projects could result in the next few years a thrust of the rate of bad debts of the Bank, announced that, end of 2009, a "rotten loans" rate limited to only 1.54. End of 2008, this rate, the method of calculating opaque confounds the foreign experts, was officially measured at 2.29.

Anxious to contain the risks, the State Bank assured, yesterday, that it would be more "reasonable" in 2010 and contain its loans, as the requested Beijing. "We will give more importance to sustainable development by changing our way of development", pointed, in a statement, the group, which wants to work to the rebalancing of its accounts and redressing its equity ratio fell to 12,36 end 2009. ICBC has thus confirmed, yesterday, she planned to issue soon 25 billion yuan (2.75 billion) of convertible bonds and that it would ask its shareholders to validate the sale of shares in Shanghai and Hong Kong markets.

With all the same headaches related to the flight of the credits, large Chinese State banks promise, as ICBC, to be more cautious. Despite an increase of 26 of its net income in 2009, to 81,07 billion yuan (8.9 billion), Bank of China, the third Bank of the country, was committed, as early as Tuesday, to better reflect the growth of its loans and was also, confirmed the next lift of 40 billion yuan. Tonight, it's China Construction Bank (CCB), the second largest Chinese Bank, which should commit to lend more moderation.