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Ecuador’s Economy and Financial Sector: Key Takeaways
The text does not provide a specific question that can be answered with a one-word response. However, we can identify the main points and themes presented in the document.
Economic Growth
- Ecuador’s economy has slowed down after rebounding from the COVID-19 pandemic.
- The country experienced 0.7 percent growth in the first quarter of 2023.
Financial Sector Stability
- The financial sector has remained stable, but banks’ average capital ratios are around 15 percent.
- Non-performing loans (NPLs) are moderate.
Limited Financial Inclusion
- Ecuador’s Financial Development Index ranks it 133 out of 192 countries in 2019.
- This indicates limited development of services to reach underserved and financially excluded segments.
Public Banks and Asset Quality Review
- Public banks have significantly higher NPLs than private banks.
- However, they have undergone an asset quality review (AQR) recently.