OREANDA-NEWS. RusRating has assigned a credit rating to the Zabaikal Region Small Business Support Fund (Chita). The rating is “A-” on the national scale and “BB+” on the international scale, in both cases with a stable outlook.

According to the agency, the rating is based on government support, high capital adequacy, a loan book well diversified by both sector and individual borrower, and 100% loan backing.

Constraining factors include a high delinquency ratio and the Fund’s relatively modest size.

The Zabaikal Region Small Business Support Fund was set up in 2009 to promote and support small-scale entrepreneurship by offering micro-loans to small businesses. It was formed by merging the Chita Region Small Business Support Fund and the Small Business Support Fund of the Agin-Buryat Autonomous Region. The Fund is wholly-controlled by the Zabaikal regional authorities.

RusRating is an independent rating agency accredited by the Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation. The company was set up in 2001 and is a member of the GlobalRating group. Its primary services are the provision of credit ratings to banks, industrial firms and their debt instruments; it also provides analysis of various aspects of the Russian financial sector.