The world's largest banks boosted their core capital ratios significantly in the first half of 2012, according to the Basel Committee for Banking Supervision (BCBS) on Tuesday.

The 101 so-called 'group one' banks - international lenders with tier-one capital of over €3.0bn - had an average common equity tier-one capital ratio (CET1) of 8.5% as of June 30th last year, up from 7.7% six months before.

CET1 targets are buffers aimed at helping banks absorb financial shocks without government aid.

Basel III capital rules, which ask for a CET1 of 7.0%, are to be fully enforced by 2019.

The overall shortfall for banks that failed to meet the 7.0% CET1 target stood at €208.2bn at June 30t, the BCBS said, compared with a deficit of €374bn at the end of 2011.

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