AMERIABANK, HSBC BANK ARMENIA, ARMECONOMBANK, UNIBANK AND ARARAT BANK TOP ARKA’S PRESS RATING

ARKA
Aug 3, 2009

YEREVAN, August 3. /ARKA/. ARKA Information Agency has published a
regular press rating of Armenian banks for the second quarter of the
year. The list is topped by 5 banks-Ameriabank, HSBC Bank Armenia,
Armeconombank, Unibank and Araratbank.

According to the analysis of surveyed newspapers reports and
stories, the press activity of Armenian banks in the second quarter
of the year was not high, but the reports were highly saturated with
information. As a result the overall number of press signals throughout
April-June rose by 2.7% as compared to the second quarter of the
previous year. The share of negative press signals rose from 2.5 % in
the second quarter of 2008 to 6.3% in the second quarter of this year.

Reports and stories in the categories ‘Bank Development Policies’ and
"Bank Personnel’s Opinions and Forecasts on Economy’ rose from 30.7%
to 40.6% and from 8% to 10% respectively.

But the number of reports and stories in other categories fell;
from 45% to 1.6% in the category ‘Clients and Services," from 17.3%
to 11% in the category "Banks Activity in Figures’ and from 40% to 30%
in the category ‘General.’

According to the press rating, Ameriabank had the highest indices
in such categories as ‘General’ and ‘Development Policies0- 58.96%
and 199.91% respectively.

In the category ‘Bank Personnel’s Opinions and Forecasts on Economy’
Ameriabank topped the list together with Armeconombank (the index
was 15.36). The latter led also in the category ‘Banks Activities
in Figures’ with 61.52 index. Unibank took the lead in the category
‘Clients and Services’

The press rating is calculated based on newspaper reports about banks’
activities. Their financial-economic indices are not calculated. As
a result the higher the degree of factual awareness of a bank’s
activity, the more effective its communication policy. Advertisements
and similar information were ignored while making the press rating.

More on this can be found in the bulletin ‘Banks Press Ratings for
the Second Quarter of 2009’.