MEXICO CITY (Standard & Poor's) Jan. 7, 2002--Standard & Poor's today assigned its long-term local and foreign currency counterparty and CD ratings of double-'B' and its short-term counterparty and CD ratings of single-'B' to Banco Agrfcola S.A., El Salvador's largest bank. The outlook is stable. The ratings are based on Banco Agrfcola's leading market position in El Salvador, particularly in attracting retail deposits, contributing to strong liquidity. The bank also has a strong capital base and reasonable earnings. However, the Salvadoran banking system, along with Banco Agrfcola, has experienced a general deterioration in asset quality. Furthermore, the bank's rating is also constrained by the relatively small size and limited diversification of El Salvador's economy. Banco Agrfcola has a market share
