Pooled resources offer way to keep credit models afloat

Supervisors drive banks to seek more corporate default data and cost-effective model improvements

NB Illustration/Stephen Lee

Banks that model their own credit risk capital requirements are being squeezed on both sides. Supervisors want them to work harder, while the rewards available – in terms of capital relief relative to the cruder standardised approach – are shrinking.

This is a problem not only for banks but also for European regulators who fought to save the internal ratings-based approach from their sceptical peers. As a result, a new attitude is starting to emerge on both sides of the divide. Instead of a