19. Regulation Flashcards
What is capital adequacy? Why is it important that a bank has this?
For banks who take deposits but are also involved in investments. These banks are not allowed to use depositors money to make these investments as investment is risky and their money could be lost.
Instead, the bank needs CAPITAL ADEQUACY. CAPITAL is money obtained from SHAREHOLDERS & related sources (not depositor funds).
Capital adequacy = the bank holding enough capital (from shareholder money) to support their investment activities in order that depositor funds are not at risk
What is set out within the Basel III regulations?
Capital adequacy ratio
TIER 1 & TIER 2 CAPITAL must be AT LEAST 12.5% of it’s RISK-WEIGHTED ASSETS
What is Tier 1 Capital?
What is Tier 2 Capital?
- CORE CAPITAL
- BACK-UP CAPITAL (used to absorb loses in the event that all Tier 1 capital is lost)
What is meant by risk-weighted assets?
Used to determine the minimum amount of capital a bank needs to hold to reduce the risk of insolvency
The more risky each asset held by the bank is, the more capital they need to hold (capital adequacy)
Risk assessments are carried out of each asset. Eg. unsecured loans will require more capital than secured loans due to the increased risk.
Who is responsible for stress-testing capital adequacy in the UK?
Bank of England
What is liquidity?
What is liquidity risk?
The ease and speed at which an asset can be converted into cash
The risk that a firm, although solvent, will not have sufficient resources to meet its financial obligations when they fall due
Eg, if not enough liquidity and suddenly a lot of depositors want to withdraw their cash all at once, there wont be enough liquid cash for them to withdraw
How is liquidity risk assessed? What are the two main aspects of this?
What can be done to limit the risk?
- ASSET LIQUIDITY (what the bank owns)
- loans to customers
- securities
- reserves - LIABILITY LIQUIDITY (what the bank owes to others)
- deposits
Limit risk by AVOIDING CONCENTRATIONS, e.g. not having lots of the same types of assets/liability. DIVERSIFY THEM. Can be things like spreading maturity dates as well.
Regulation bodies within the UK can be split into 4 tiers. What are these?
- ACTS OF PARLIAMENT
- set the laws - REGULATORY BODIES
- e.g. FCA, PRA, FPC
- set the rules for how the laws should be met & monitor - BANKS’ OWN POLICIES/PROCEDURES
- compliance department
- ensure the firm is acting legally/competently - ABRITRATION SCHEMES
- e.g. Financial Ombudsman Service
- complaints
What are the main functions of the Bank of England? (6)
- ISSUES BANK NOTES
- BANKER TO THE BANKS
- BANKER TO THE GOVERNMENT
- ADVISOR TO THE GOVERNMENT
- monetary policy. MPC sets base rate - FOREIGN EXCHANGE MARKET
- LENDER OF LAST RESORT
True or false - the Bank of England must automatically loan money to the government if there is a defecit?
True
True or false - The Bank of England manages the UK’s Gold reserves
True
True or False - the PRA is independent from the Bank of England
False - the PRA is part of the Bank of England
How is it decided which financial institutions are supervised by the PRA? What types of firm do they supervise
Those who are SYSTEMATICALLY IMPORTANT, e.g. would have a significant impact on the economy if they were to fail
This can be banks, building societies, credit unions, insurers, major investment firms
What are the PRA’s two main aims? (2)
Which are the two main ways in which it achieves these aims?
- MINIMISE RISK OF BUSINESS FAILURE
- MINIMISE THE ADVERSE EFFECT OF FAILURE ON THE UK ECOMONY AS A WHOLE
Two main ways = regulation (setting standards that firms must meet) & supervision (assessing risk)
What is the Financial Policy Committee (FPC)?
What is it responsible for?
What are its powers? (2)
WHAT = Committee made up of a mix of Bank of England staff & external experts in finance
RESPONSIBLE FOR = Protecting the UK financial system by REDUCING SYSTEMATIC RISK
What are it’s powers?
1. DIRECTION - Direct regulators to make banks carry out certain actions
2. RECOMMENDATION - of how to reduce risks to financial stability
True or False - The FCA is independent from the bank of England?
True
True or False - The FPC is independent from the Bank of England
False - it’s made up of bank of england staff
How is the FCA funded?
By fees it charges the firms it regulates
What are the two main things the FCA is responsible for? (2)
- CONDUCT OF BUSINESS REGULATOR for the WHOLE OF THE INDUSTRY
- PRUDENTIAL REGULATOR for only those firms not regulated by PRA (not systematically important)
What is the FCA’s main strategic objective?
To ensure RELEVANT MARKETS FUNCTION WELL
What are the FCA’s Operational Objectives? (3)
- To PROTECT CONSUMERS
- To PROTECT/ENHANCE the INTEGRITY of the UK financial system
- To POMOTE EFFECTIVE COMPETITION (in the interest of consumers)
Think: PC, PI(e), PEC
Who does the FCA’s Consumer Credit Regulations apply to? (2)
- Credit/finance companies
- Anyone who offers hire purchase credit
What must firms offering consumer credit do before they can begin operations? (2)
What is the consequence of not doing this?
- Obtain a LICENCE from the FCA
- Comply with FCA regulations
Consequence - it is a criminal offence, can result in a FINE OR IMPRISONMENT
What are the main provisions of the Consumer Credit Act (1974)? (5)
- COOLING OFF PERIOD
- given for all loans signed off premises - APR
- must be quoted - LOAN AGREEMENTS
- copies must be given to clients - MARKETING
- must not make misleading claims or be undesirable - DISCLOSURE OF INFORMATION
- credit reference agencies must disclose all the info they hold on you upon request
- must correct any inaccurate info
Think - CALM’D
What are the main provisions of the Consumer Credit Act (2006)? (4)
- FINANCIAL OMBUDSMAN SERVICE
- now covers consumer credit complaints - UNFAIR RELATIONSHIPS TEST
- borrowers can take lenders to court if they believe relationship to be ‘unfair’ - REMOVAL OF £25,000 LIMIT
- used to be the maximum for REGULATED LOANS previously - INFORMATION REQUIREMENTS
- lenders required to give borrowers more info on an ongoing basis, e.g statements, arrears notices
Think: FURI
Which FCA sourcebook has incorporated the consumer credit acts into FCA regulation?
CONC - The Consumer Credit Sourcebook
What does APR stand for? How is it calculated? What is it used for?
Annual Percentage Rate
= ACTUAL YEARLY COST OVER THE TERM OF THE LOAN (including fees & costs, but does not include compounding)
Expressed as a percentage, which allows easy comparison across products and lenders
Which of the following payment services activities are regulated under the Payment Services Regulations? Which are not?
A: Cash Deposits
B: Execution of Payment Transactions
C: Cash-Only Transactions
D: Transporting Cash
E: Credit Transfers (e.g standing orders & Direct Debits)
F: Cheques/Paper Instruments
G: Payment Card Transactions
H: Issuing Payment Instruments (e.g. cards)
I: Payment activities related to securities asset servicing
J: Acquiring Payment Transactions
K: Money Remittance
L: Technical Services (e.g. independent ATM deployers)
M: Payments sent via telecom/IT system or network operator
A= Regulated
B = Regulated
C = NOT Regulated
D = NOT Regulated
E = Regulated
F = NOT Regulated
G = Regulated
H = Regulated
I = NOT Regulated
J = Regulated
K = Regulated
L = NOT Regulated
M = Regulated
What are Payment Institutions (PIs)?
New class of regulated financial firms under the Payment Services Regulations (PSRs)
What’s the difference between the Payment Services Regulations, 2007 (PSRs) and the Payment Services Directive, 2009 & 2017 (PSDs)
PSD is the European Directive. PSRs are the UK implementation of that directive in UK Law
Who is responsible for regulating Payment Institutions? (3)
- Conduct = FCA
- Prudential = PRA or FCA
- Payment systems = Payment systems regulator
What is the Payment Systems Regulator? What is their relationship with the FCA?
What are its objectives? (3)
Specialist regulator dedicated only to the regulation of payment transactions.
It is a SUBSIDIARY of the FCA, but has its own objectives:
- Insure payment systems are developed/operated in a way which PROMOTES THE INTERESTS OF CONSUMERS/BUSINESSES who use them
- Promote EFFECTIVE COMPETITION of payment systems in the markets
- Promote the DEVELOPMENT of INNOVATION in payment systems, particularly OPERATING INFRASTRUCTURE
True or false - if a firm is regulated by the Payment Services Provider and must comply with its Payment Services Regulations (PSRs), they don’t also need to comply with FCA’s BCOBS.
False - they must still comply with BCOBS. PSRs are additional
What body deals with complaints relating to pensions?
The Pension Ombudsman