Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB)
No accounting for tastes
The Financial Accounting Standards Board has been robust in its defence of fair-value accounting, and is now set to ruffle regulatory feathers by proposing the approach be expanded to cover all financial instruments. Risk speaks to the standard-setter’s…
Loan loss calculation conundrum
Replacing the incurred loss provisioning model remains high on the agenda of accountants, bankers and regulators. The challenge is to find a way to calculate expected loss that satisfies the diverse objectives of all three camps. Can a compromise be…
No accounting for leverage
The Basel Committee is set to unveil proposals for a leverage ratio in December as a means of constraining the excessive growth of bank balance sheets. But risk managers warn the proposals risk creating an unlevel playing field between US and European…
When reality bites
Editor's letter
Banks' own credit risk hampers financial results
Own credit risk - the concept of including the credit risk of an institution in the measurement of the liabilities it issues - had a significant impact on banks' profits in the first half of 2009, as credit default swap (CDS) spreads referencing banks'…
Into account
The US Financial Accounting Standards Board has released new rules on off-balance-sheet exposures, which will compel US companies to consolidate billions of dollars of assets previously kept in special-purpose entities on to their balance sheets. How…
Spreading fear
As credit spreads on financial institutions widened in the second half of 2008, some banks registered substantial gains on their own debt. The International Accounting Standards Board has subsequently ignited a debate over the inclusion of credit risk in…
IASB proposes simplifying fair-value measurement
The International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) has sought to simplify its standards on fair-value measurement, bringing International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) further into line with US Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (Gaap).
Setting global standards
Accounting
Proposed replacement for IAS 39 to be released in October
The International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) will release proposals to replace IAS 39 - the accounting standard for financial instruments - in October this year.
Concerns over political influence overshadow FASB's changes to fair value
US auditors and investors are concerned that accounting standards are being dictated by politicians rather than independent standard setters.
Banks win slack from FASB on fair value
The Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) has proposed amendments to fair-value accounting, which would allow financial institutions employing internal models to valuate assets and liabilities in illiquid markets.
SEC: fair value not to blame for financial crisis
Fair-value accounting did not play a substantial role in the downfall of large financial institutions last year, according to a report by the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) released on December 30.
Fair enough?
Fair-value accounting has been blamed for exacerbating the scale of the financial crisis, leading for calls from some politicians for it to be suspended. The accounting standards boards have rushed out clarifications on mark-to-market rules, but are they…
Mark to market needs refining, not scrapping - SEC
Christopher Cox, chairman of the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), backed fair-value accounting in a speech to the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants last week, but said some aspects, particularly rules on impairment, needed…