Exclusive: ECB pressures German bank HSH to cut bad loans in half - sources

FRANKFURT (Reuters) - The European Central Bank is pushing German lender HSH Nordbank [HSH.UL] to cut its bad-loan ratio in half, as the supervisor steps up reform pressure on weak banks, two sources familiar with the matter told Reuters.

HSH has some 16 billion euros ($18 billion) in ailing loans that make up some 22.8 percent of its overall loan book. The ECB seeks to have the bank cut that to 10-12 percent in the coming few years, the two sources said, speaking on the condition of anonymity.

"The ECB Banking Supervision considers non-performing exposures one of the main risks and therefore a supervisory priority for 2015," a spokeswoman for the regulator said, declining to comment further.

HSH declined to comment.

(Reporting by Andreas Kröner; Editing by Arno Schuetze)