(Adds detail from Italy, Britain, France, Spain)
By Hans Seidenstuecker and Sinead Cruise
FRANKFURT/LONDON March 16 (Reuters) - Two of Germany's
largest banks have temporarily closed hundreds of branches while
in Italy lenders are shortening opening hours as they grapple
with staff shortages and try to limit the spread of coronavirus.
Commerzbank will close several hundred of its
roughly 1,000 branches in Germany, a spokesman said, adding that
the exact number was still to be determined, while HVB plans to
close 101 of its 337 branches during the course of Monday.
Customers will still be able to use ATMs, online services
and those branches that remain open. Several of Germany's
savings banks have already closed or are planning to close
branches as well.
In Italy, the country's biggest retail bank Intesa San Paulo
said its large branches - amounting to around 900 from
a total of 3,500 - are opening only in the morning while most of
its smaller sites are operating three mornings a week. Around
122 small branches, which are located nearer large ones, have
closed.
UniCredit, which has around 4,000 branches, said last week
it would keep only a limited number open in each region.
Other Italian banks are following suit, with Banca Monte dei
Paschi also opening only in the morning.
Lenders are hoping the increased use of digital banking will
limit the disruption caused by the restricted branch services.
In Britain, Spain and France, most banks remain fully open
although some have issued statements encouraging customers to
use online services where possible.
"Despite complex operational conditions, all employees in
the networks are and will remain fully mobilised to help their
clients to get through this exceptional crisis ...banking
networks will be open and branches are prepared," France's
banking federation said in a statement on Sunday.
Lloyds, Britain's biggest domestic lender, said it
was waiving fees on missed payments on credit cards, loans and
mortgages, giving repayment holidays, allowing emergency access
to fixed term savings accounts and raising online banking
deposit limits to help people unable to access their local
branches.
"We are making some temporary changes over the coming weeks,
and will be providing individual support to customers who need
extra help," Group Director Vim Maru said
Barclays also said it was encouraging customers to
speak to specialist teams set up to help those facing financial
difficulty, and that it would also accept applications for
temporary increases in credit card limits during the disruption.
(Reporting by Hans Seidenstuecker, Patricia Uhlig, Tom Sims,
Valentina Za, Maya Nikolaeva, Sinead Cruise, Iain Withers and
Jesus Aguado; writing by Tom Sims and Rachel Armstrong; Editing
by Michelle Martin, Kirsten Donovan)
Barclays (BARC)
Lloyds (LLOY)
