OREANDA-NEWS. In its latest covered bonds surveillance snapshot, Fitch Ratings comments on its criteria review process and potential future enhancements to existing rating criteria or its application.

The snapshot includes an interview on Fitch's criteria review process with Helene M. Heberlein, head of the Covered Bond Rating group, explaining the potential enhancements Fitch is considering for its current covered bond rating criteria. A soon to be released exposure draft is expected to propose formalising Fitch's treatment of foreign exchange risk in programmes with open positions, as well as clarifying what the agency considers to be a residual risk compatible with programmes rated more than one notch above the Long-Term Issuer Default Rating (IDR).

The interview also highlights other criteria elements that Fitch is considering in a separate exercise, in response to changing regulatory and market conditions. These are the difference between an issuer's and its covered bonds rating, and the level of breakeven overcollateralisation (OC) for the assigned covered bonds rating. This review is still at a relatively early stage. Fitch may decide to propose enhancements to its criteria that could result in a larger rating uplift for some programmes or in lower breakeven OC for some assigned ratings. However, it is also possible that no changes to the agency's criteria, or its application, will ultimately be proposed. If there are to be any changes, Fitch anticipates consulting with the market in 1Q16.

Fitch's covered bonds surveillance snapshot is a quarterly publication summarising current facts and trends about publicly rated covered bonds programmes. It consists of two documents; one presenting aggregated information, such as development of the rating distribution and the cumulative number of upgrades and downgrades. It also references current applicable criteria and recent covered bonds related research. The second is an Excel file containing individual information for each programme, including all rating steps, starting from the IDR, the assigned IDR uplift, the programme Discontinuity Cap to the available OC and the breakeven OC for the covered bonds rating. The Excel file is further split by country and asset type for peer comparison purposes.

The Snapshot is available at www.fitchratings.com.