OREANDA-NEWS. Fitch Ratings says the ratings on Mercurio Mortgage Finance S.r.l. Series 2008-3, 2008-4 and 2009-5 are not affected by the reduction of the respective transactions' cash reserves.

The transactions are prime Italian RMBS backed by residential mortgage loans granted by the Italian branch of Barclays Bank Plc (Barclays, A/Stable/F1).

Barclays has amended the transactions documentations to reduce the respective cash reserves to 5% of the initial pool balance from an initial proportion between 9% (Mercurio 2008-3) and 10.5% (Mercurio 2009-5). Fitch understands from the bank that the amendment is necessary to comply with ECB eligibility requirements. As a result the cash reserves surplus to requirements will be amortised, with proceeds to be distributed to senior noteholders on the next payment date. This in turn will lead to the underlying portfolios being larger than the outstanding notes balance, resulting in over-collateralisation.

Fitch therefore estimates that the available credit support will be little changed, provided by a combination of asset portfolio over-collateralisation and the available non-amortising cash reserves (5% of the initial pool balance). This change reduces the reliance on the transaction account bank, Barclays, as the available cash reserves are no longer the sole source of credit support. Fitch therefore concluded that the amendment has no effect on the creditworthiness of the rated notes.

The rating of the notes is as follows:

Mercurio Mortgage Finance S.r.l. - Series 2008-3
Class A (ISIN IT0004372303): 'AA+sf'; Outlook Stable

Mercurio Mortgage Finance S.r.l. - Series 2008-4
Class A (ISIN IT0004438542): 'AA+sf'; Outlook Stable

Mercurio Mortgage Finance S.r.l. - Series 2009-5
Class A (ISIN IT0004516313): 'AA+sf'; Outlook Stable