Banks, EU – Baltic States, Financial Services, Investments

Standard and Poor's highlights the bank's position as the Nordic market leader in capital markets and investment banking and its strong position in other diverse business areas such as cards, wealth management, life insurance, and retail mortgage lending.

"It is with satisfaction we note that Standard & Poor's confirm the financial stability we have built over the years. The strength of our customer relations as the leading Nordic corporate bank has rendered a stability in earnings and asset quality which supports the bank's strong capital and liquidity situation", says Jan Erik Back, SEB's CFO.

"In this highly challenging environment, credibility as a financial partner and counterpart cannot be underestimated. Banking is all about taking a long-term perspective, creating trust and building relationships. In Standard & Poor's assessment the Swedish banking system is considered one of strongest internationally. It gives comfort for investors in Swedish banks which supports our financial system."

Standard and Poor's rating rationale includes an assessment of SEB's business position, capital and earnings, risk position, funding and liquidity, which all are regarded as well-balanced. The stable outlook reflects its expectation that SEB will continue to benefit from the stability of its diverse revenue sources and maintain its capital base.

As reported, the international financial publication The Banker has named SEB the Bank of the Year 2011 in Latvia, Estonia and Sweden.