Banks need to be in a position to absorb shocks, and have the ability to build buffers to withstand future shocks, so they can serve the economy and consumers over the long term.
Understandably, the new situation created great uncertainty in the financial  BIS Review 1/1998  -4-  markets and initiated an ongoing debate on what the consequences of these developments would be for South Africa. There is no doubt that major adjustments will be necessary to restore equilibrium in the economies of the affected East Asian countries.