( MENAFN - Muscat Daily) Muscat- Moody's Investors Service has lowered the long-term local and foreign currency deposit ratings of four Omani banks: Bank Muscat, HSBC Bank Oman, BankDhofar and National Bank of Oman (NBO). The ratings agency downgraded the long-term local currency deposit ratings of these four banks to Ba1 from Baa3, while it lowered their long-term foreign currency deposit ratings to Ba2 from Baa3 due to the new sovereign ceiling. 'These rating actions, which follow Moody's downgrade of the government of Oman issuer rating to Ba1 with a negative outlook from Baa3, reflect the Omani government's weakening capacity to support the local banks as well as the weakening operating environment in the country', Moody's said in a statement.