News/Regulation
Basel regulators hope for SME solution by mid-June
Global banking regulators are optimistic they can resolve by mid-June the vexed question of the treatment of lending to small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) under the proposed Basel II bank capital adequacy Accord.
AIB appoints 'special' risk management adviser
Allied Irish Banks has appointed a 'special adviser' on risk management in the wake of fraud investigations into its US subsidiary Allfirst, which lost almost $700 million in currency trading.
Rates Markets Update: US swaps widen on Middle East fears
The US interest rate swaps market broke a trend this week as spreads slowly widened after several weeks of consistent narrowing. Five-year dollar swap spreads widened by 5 basis points to 62bp over Treasuries in the same maturity, while 10-year spreads…
Non-US companies using derivatives shun FAS 133
Although nearly half of the world’s companies that use derivatives have implemented US accounting standard FAS133, or its international equivalent IAS39, there is little interest in compliance by companies based outside the US, according to a research…
Basel II op risk survey planned for June 1
Global banking regulators hope to issue another survey on June 1 seeking information from banks on their operational losses in order to help with the development of the complex, risk-based Basel II bank capital adequacy Accord, regulators said.
Basel II securitisation paper planned for October
Global banking regulators plan to issue on October 1 a working paper on the treatment of asset securitisation in the Basel II banking Accord, one of the issues that prompted its delay until late 2006.
US trade associations step up opposition to Feinstein bill
A number of prominent US trade associations, along with leading financial and energy institutions, have called for the US Senate to veto efforts by Senator Dianne Feinstein to amend US energy legislation that would see more oversight of derivatives.
Op risk is increasing for weak banks, says regulators’ guidance
Operational risk will come into greater focus for banks worldwide and will become more important as a factor in weak banks, global banking regulators said in early April.
Regulators expected shortly to fix date for Basle II op risk survey
Global banking regulators are expected to decide in mid-April on the date for issuing to banks a further survey seeking information on operational risk as part of the development of the Basle II bank capital adequacy proposals.
FSA disappointed by latest delay to Basle II accord
It was no secret that the UK’s principal financial watchdog, the Financial Services Authority (FSA), was "a little disappointed" at the latest delays to the Basle II accord, a senior FSA official said in March.
FASB reverses on loan commitments
The US Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) has ruled that undrawn loan commitments will not be subject to derivatives accounting rules and do not have to be marked-to-market – a victory for commercial lenders.
Sep 11 attacks make Basel II more relevant
The September 11 attacks on New York’s financial district have made the operational risk provisions of the proposed Basel II banking accord "much more relevant to many more people", a paper by business consultants Aroq Research said in March.
Credit derivatives majors form data alliance
Goldman Sachs, Deutsche Bank and JP Morgan Chase have launched a credit derivatives market data scrubbing and sharing project meant to head off disputes among market participants over the terms of their contracts.
Singapore eases restrictions on foreign derivatives firms
The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) has liberalised its Singapore dollar non-internationalisation policy, to allow greater participation in its capital markets by international investors and financial institutions.
Goldman signs up Imagine for prime brokerage
Goldman Sachs is to offer Imagine Software's ASP risk management and trading services to clients of its prime brokerage unit, GSI Prime Brokerage, formalising a partnership begun last year in which GSI clients started using the Imagine product.
FASB head warns Congress on too much interference
Edmund Jenkins, chairman of the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB), has warned Congress not to take its post-Enron zeal for market regulation too far. He was responding to proposed legislation that would give the US Securities and Exchange…
Citi traders sacked as Allfirst probe continues
Citigroup this week dismissed two traders linked to the Allfirst trading losses, as the investigation into rogue trader John Rusnak’s counterparties continued.
IMF issues credit derivatives warning
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) believes the lack of financial disclosure and transparency in the credit derivatives market has the potential to increase market risk, as participants find it more difficult to gauge the depth of credit deterioration…