SEB to Inject Capital in Lithuania, Latvia Bank Operations

Swedish banking group SEB said on Tuesday it would inject more capital into its operations in Lithuania and Latvia due to rising bad loan provisions. SEB spokeswoman Viveka Hirdman-Ryrberg said the bank made 5.95 billion Swedish crowns ($847 million) of loan loss provisions in the first half of the year due to the global financial crisis. Lithuania's economy nosedived into its worst recession since early 1990s with gross domestic product falling 20.2 percent in the second quarter. Estonia has also seen double-digit falls in gross domestic product and Latvia has had to go to the International Monetary Fund for emergency aid. Read more.