Micro-prudential
Bank of Israel aims to boost construction credit with new regulation
Banking supervision department proposes reclassifying credit risk in wake of financial institution’s efforts to insure against it; suggests it would free up $2.6bn of finance
MAS adds cloud computing to guidelines on outsourcing risk management
Cloud services officially acknowledged in latest outsourcing guidelines as more financial institutions adopt the practice; despite improved security, banks should still be aware of the risks
Ratings agency fined €1.38 million by Esma for regulatory breaches
The European Securities and Markets Authority fines Fitch for improper discussions of information and mishandling timing of Slovenia’s sovereign downgrade
Irish central bank announces new protections for mortgage borrowers
Variable-rate housing loan borrowers must be informed of cheaper alternative mortgages and have rate rises explained to them by lenders
MAS announces ‘firm regulatory actions’ against multiple banks
Monetary Authority of Singapore finds “control failings” at DBS, Standard Chartered and UBS as part of probe into 1MDB funds; US Department of Justice seeking to recover $1bn in assets
Andrew Bailey wants well understood FCA mission
The Financial Conduct Authority has statutory objectives and publishes an annual business plan, but there is “not a lot in between”, he says; new chief wants to run the institution “effectively and tightly”
Slovenian bail-in was legal, ECJ rules
Decision to wipe out some subordinated debt before recapitalising Slovenian banks in 2013 was challenged, but court finds it is compatible with EU law
EBA proposes new templates for AT1 issues
EBA releases draft templates for future issuance of Additional Tier 1 capital instruments, highlighting provisions it ‘would recommend avoiding’
EBA says European banking supervision practices are converging but some areas lag
European banking supervisors achieved considerable cross-border convergence in some areas in 2015, but other fields retain differences, EBA report says
IMF staff propose additional reforms to Italian banking sector
Directors at the fund “commend” the Italian authorities for reforms so far, while staff suggest a range of additional measures to tackle issues around resolution and NPLs
EBA says number of women in senior positions at European banks is ‘very low’
EBA says most European banks lack diversity policies for senior management despite legal requirements; senior managers are more diverse by age but not by “geographical provenance”
Constâncio calls for ‘deep reflection’ on public support for banks
ECB vice-president Vítor Constâncio suggests European Union should consider relaxing its rules on state aid to banks; cites IMF concerns and example of US bail-out
EBA survey: Most European banks did not see Brexit as risk
European banks anticipated increasing most kinds of loan activity, results of an EBA questionnaire show; few bankers saw ‘Brexit’ as a major source of risk
Nigerian regulator overhauls management of major local bank
Nigeria’s central bank enforced a change of management in a domestically systemically important bank due to liquidity and capital adequacy concerns; finance veterans appointed to top roles
Two banks fail Fed’s annual stress tests
Most bank holding companies pass the Comprehensive Capital Analysis and Review, but Deutsche Bank Trust Corporation and Santander Holdings USA pulled up for “substantial weaknesses”
Central bank should consider sticky-price inflation as target variable – paper
South African working paper argues central bank should consider sticky price inflation as target variable; sticky prices more persistent and less volatile
EBA chair calls for ‘deep-rooted changes’ in bank culture
Andrea Enria, writing in the Directory of Financial Regulators 2016, says more must be done to confine episodes of misconduct to the past
State Bank of Pakistan sees financial sector ‘flourish’
Financial stability review highlights record after-tax profit and high capital adequacy ratio, as well as improvement in asset quality
Danish central bank urges Basel to rethink parameter floors
Lars Rohde warns parameter floors in IRB approaches could create an incentive for greater risk-taking in some markets, in response to Basel Committee consultation
SSM challenges eurozone banks to improve governance
Supervisor warns most significant banks in eurozone fall short of international best practices; presents lessons from assessment of management bodies and risk appetite frameworks
Rajan urges completion of bank cleanup
Outgoing governor argues actions taken to address public sector bank balance sheets must be taken to their “logical conclusion”; encourages government to provide capital injection
Flug sets out ‘change in philosophy’ on new banks
Bank of Israel governor sets out measures adopted by banking supervision department to make it easier to start a bank from scratch; part of broader competition drive in the country
Irish banks prepared for Brexit but face material effects, deputy says
Effects on profitability and business models could be ‘material’ if UK votes to leave EU, Irish deputy warns, though central bank is satisfied with short-term contingency planning
RBI approves new method for restructuring stressed loans
Indian banks will be able to split some of their largest stressed loans in two; rules introduced as RBI looks to help banks achieve “clean and fully provisioned bank balance sheets” by March 2017