2 billion dollar fine risk in Halkbank case!

Halkbank, which is being tried in the US on charges of violating sanctions against Iran, could face fines of up to 2 billion dollars. The US Supreme Court is expected to decide on October 3 or 6 whether it will review the bank's immunity defense. This decision could have significant impacts on the bank's share prices and the general perception of the banking sector.

An analysis published by Bloomberg Intelligence stated that while there is a possibility that Halkbank's application could be accepted, the chances of the bank gaining immunity are low. The analysis emphasizes that the amount of the fine the bank faces could be between 1-2 billion dollars, which is 1.5-3 times the bank's adjusted net profit for 2024. This situation could strain the bank's capital structure and bring the need for state support to the agenda.

The US claims that illegal transactions passing through Halkbank exceed 1 billion dollars, and the federal government could demand a fine of at least twice that amount. In Turkey, it is stated that the government could help the bank pay the fine. It is recalled that capital injections have been made in the past to strengthen Halkbank's weak capital structure.

TRUMP'S INFLUENCE AND GEOPOLITICAL CONCESSIONS

The Bloomberg analysis assesses that Halkbank could benefit if Donald Trump is re-elected president. It is known that Trump pressured the Department of Justice during his first term, but the bank is not expected to go completely unpunished in a second term. The Turkish government and Halkbank may be seeking a more advantageous settlement in exchange for geopolitical concessions.

News Source: 12punto