This lack of clear separation between policy and commercial operations makes it hard to assess SIFs’ f inancial conditions. In addition, less stringent regulatory requirements compared to commercial banks warrant closer monitoring of SFI activities. While all SFIs had capital adequacy ratios above 8.5 percent at end-2003, not all of them follow loan classification and accounting rules that apply to commercial banks. For example, most SFIs classify loans not by risk but by past due criteria that are sometimes less strict than for banks. SFIs’ lower NPL ratios and provisioning rates should thus be viewed in this light.