** Morgan Stanley downgrades Swedish bank Handelsbanken SHBa.ST to "underweight" from "equal weight," citing softening net interest income, completed cost initiatives and a Q1 buffer release
** The broker sees risks building for the second half of 2025, with "NII tailwinds for Swedish banks are fading" as deposit costs stabilize and asset-side repricing shows
** It also points out that peer Swedbank SWEDa.ST appears particularly exposed, given its high sensitivity and cumulative NII gains
** Out of 19 analysts that cover Svenska Handelsbanken, three rate the stock "strong buy" or "buy," seven rate "hold" and nine rate the stock "strong sell" or "sell" - LSEG data
(Reporting by Marta Serafinko in Gdansk)
((Marta.Serafinko@thomsonreuters.com; +48 58 769 66 00;))