OREANDA-NEWS. January 11, 2013. RusRating assigns a credit rating to Zabaikal Region Guarantee Fund (Chita). The rating is “AA-” on the national scale and “BBB-” on the international scale, in both cases with a stable outlook.

According to the agency, the rating is based on minimal pay-outs on the Fund’s guarantees, a well-diversified portfolio, healthy asset quality, profitable operations, the comparatively small weight of the Fund’s guarantees against the loans covered, and state backing.

Constraining factors include a need for growth capital and the Fund’s inadequate size.

The Zabaikal Region Guarantee Fund (LLC ) was set up in 2008 to provide backing for loans to small and mid-sized businesses in the Baikal region. It is wholly owned by the regional authorities.