Moody's on March 30 assigned A2 long-term issuer ratings toSparebanken Møre,with a stable outlook.

The ratings, which are in line with the bank's A2 long-termdeposit ratings, take into account the bank's "very high" macroprofile, its "baa1" baseline credit assessment, an analysis of itsbalance sheet structure and the agency's assessment of a low likelihood ofgovernment support.

The issuer ratings also take into account Moody's assessmentof a very low loss given failure, leading to a two-notch uplift from thebaseline credit assessment.

The stable outlook reflects the rating agency's view thatthe bank's financials will remain broadly resilient amid a modest slowdown inNorway's economic performance.