FCRE Structure of Fin Mkts Flashcards
Pass Exam
Role of Bank of England
Issuer of Bank Notes Banker to Government Banker to Banks Adviser to Government Foreign Exchange - manages Gold Reserves and Foreign Currency Lender of last resort
Classification of Financial Markets
Maturity or term of borrowing and lending, overnight to long-term Retail and Wholesale business Secured and unsecured business Primary and Secondary business Domestic currency or foreign currency
Maturity or term of borrowing and lending
Short-term borrowing - overnight Repo lending surplus funds Interbank Bonds Repo
Primary Market
Raises new capital - new issues section of stockmarket
Secondary Market
Existing securities are traded after isse
Repo markets
Sale and Repurchase Agreement
Mostly based on gilts
Like a temporary loan secured by an asset
Borrower puts up security to secure loan
Legal ownership of asset is transferred to lender
Cash is paid to lender to release security(s)
Rate charged depends on rating of the security
Interbank Market
Unsecured market, banks and large financial institutions borrow and lend wholesale for short periods, overnight to 6 months
Liability management - banks first attract borrowers and then find the money, interbank market is quick source of funds
London interbank offered rate (LIBOR) - interest rate compiled from data submitted by banks based on transactions undertaken.
LIBOR
Reference rate for most corporate lending
Corporate borrowers pay LIBOR + margin
Rates fixed daily
Vary from overnight to 1 year
$300 trillion affected by these rates around the world
Rate given to financial institution is based on their credit rating.
Treasury Bills
Government use to raise funds
Short term redeemable securities issued by UK Debt Management Office.
Effectively a short-term gilt.
Issued for less than 1 year, most often 91 days (3 months)
Do not pay interest - zero coupon
Activiely traded in secondary market
Certificates of Deposit
Negotiable time deposit issued by deposit-taking institutions e.g. banks
Like a savings account but with severe penalties for early withdrawal
Denominated in any currency
Rate fixed for the term
High minimum investment £10,000 to £100,000
Can be traded in money markets
Commercial Paper Market
Primary and Secondary wholesale market
Brings together large companies that need to borrow or lend short-term loans.
Amounts very large
Most purchasers are Pension Funds, Insurance Companies or large private investors.
“commercial paper” is used for securities issued by companies for up to 1 year
Medium-term notes 1-5 years
Called bonds when > 5 years
Unsecured promissory note
Most commercial paper has maturity of 5 - 45 days
Bond Market
Collective term for gilts and similar instruments for terms > 5 years.
Government provide continuous flow to cover deficits
Coupon fixed
rates depend on price paid in market
Face value paid on redemption
Corporate Bonds
Issued by Companies to finance long-term projects
Bonds from 5 - 30 years - most at shorter end
Only large companies with good credit rating are able to issue
New Issues taken up by investors in Primary market then traded in secondary market
Cost of issue is high
Price of Bond determined by credit rating
Equity Market
Shares in the company
Issued first in Primary Market
No requirement for company to buy-back shares
Equity Market New Shares Offered
Prospectus issue
Private Placement
Rights issue
Prospectus issue
shares offered to general public through investment bank
Prospectus gives information on company and shares being offered
Bank administers share applications
Bank may underwrite the issue - it will buy any unsold shares
Private Placement
new shares placed with institutional investors, investment companies, insurance companies, pension funds etc
Private placement memorandum as opposed to prospectus to general public.
Rights issue
Done by existing companies wishing to increase capital
New shares offered in proportion to existing sharegolding
Example - one new share for every three held
The London Stock Exchange
Main market in uk for trading securities Comprises Primary and Secondary Markets Over 400 members 3,000 companies from over 70 countries Offical listing implies company believed to be reputable
Stock Broking Services
Agency Brokers
Marketmakers
Broker-dealers
Agency Brokers
Act as client agent
Arranges deals by taking orders and contacting market-maker
Marketmaker
Hold stock in own name
make profits by correctly anticipating price movements
buying and selling shares accordingly
Broker-dealers
Purchase shares from clients and sell in market
Can act as agency broker and market-maker
Foreign Exchange Markets
International trade in goods
international trade in services
Short-term investment
Long-term investment
International trade in goods
Companies purchase raw materials, components and finished goods
International Trade in Services
companies buy finanical services from banks and insurance companies
send goods on foreign ships
Individuals travel to other countries and need currencies
Short-term investment FOREX
company with surplus can deposit money in account or purchase secutities in other countries in foreign currency to earn return
Long-term investment
individuals and companies buy shares and make longer term loans to borrowers in other countries
Business may open outlet in another country and will need currency
Two opposing groups and compromise needed?
Buyers and sellers
Compromise - price
Purpose of equity markets - company perspective
Issue new shares to raise capital
Rights issue to raise capital
Issue bonds to finance long-term projects
Objectives of government economic policy
Price Stability - control inflation
Low unemployment - expand the economy to provide jobs
Balance of payments - balance of payments between imports and exports.
Avoid large deficits and surpluses - equilibrium
Economic growth
Fiscal Policy
influence economic activity by spending, taxation and borrowing
local government major spending factor
public services
Borrowing - Public Sector Net Cash Requirement (PSNCR)
Stimulate economy by cutting taxes and increasing public spending
Balance of Payments
Calculated in Sterling
Money coming in - credit
Money going out - debit
Current account records visible and invisible trade
Deficits occur when country spends more foreign currency to buy goods than it receives for exports
Foreign currency reserves to cover gap - savings
Managing Deficits
Increasing interest rates to encourage overseas investment
imposing tariffs and import quotas making imports expensive
Impose exchange controls - government interferes with free currency by pegging to another currency
Capital Account
looks at capital transfers
Monetary Policy
Actions by government that affects supply and price of money
Action mainly interest rate policy
Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) - sets interest rates
Target inflation rate 2%
Interest rates changed by changing 14-day gilt repos
Quantitive Easing (QE)
Increase money supply to stimulate economy
BOE buys back assets from private sector, banks, insurance companies and pension funds - usually bonds (Gilts).
New money created to buy the assets by sending electronic credits
How QE affects economy
Buying assets increases the price - reduce gilt yield so investors seek alternative investments to increase yield
Effect of overall reduces interest rates leading to lower borrowing costs.
Boost business investment and individual spending
When bank buys corporate bonds, capital markets improve making it easier to raise money
New Money going into financial institutions giving more money to lend.
Inflation
money price of goods and services rising
peoples incomes rising
money supply rising
Disinflation
Falling inflation
Prices still rise, but not by as much
E.G Inflation falls from 3% to 2%
Deflation
Sustained price falls across whole economy
Falls in output and demand
Nominal Interest Rates
Rate actually paid - say £3 paid in savings account for every £100.
Inflation not included
Real Interest Rates
Nominal rate discounted by inflation rate
[(1 + Nominal Interest Rate)/ (1 + Inflation Rate)] -1
Money Supply
Linked to inflation and interest rates
Amount of money in circulation related to value of transactions in goods and
Money supply exceeds real value of goods and service - inflation ensues - higher prices of goods
Money - M0
Narrow money
Measures Cash Base, notes coins in circulation and operational balances of banks
M4
Broad Money
Measures banks and building society deposits, and new money created by loans and overdrafts
Exchange Rates
Price of one curreny against another
Rise in relative rate - strengething
Fall in relative rate - weakening
Rise in value of pound against euro
Exporters - goods will be more expensive in euro zone
Reduced sales
Importers - cost of imported goods cost less
Cost of materials will be less in UK
Financial Services Regulation
Level 1 - European legislation - regulations and directives
Level 2 - Acts of Parliament - Statutory Instruments
Financial Services Act 200, Bank Act 1987, Building Societies Act 1997
Level 3 - bodies that issue rules and monitor - Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA), Financial Policy Committee (FPC), Financial Conduct Authority (FCO)
Level 4 - Policies and Practices of financial institutions themselves
Level 5 - Arbitration Schemes, Financial Ombudsman Service.
Impact of EU on UK Regulation
Free internal market
Treaty of Rome - customs union - 6 founder members of European Economic Community (EEC)
Judgement of European Court 1979 - principal of member states
Article 12 of EC treaty - prohibits discimination on grounds of nationality
Single European Act 1987
Four main freedoms Freedom of movement of people Freedom of movement of goods Freedom of movement of capital Freedom to provide services in other states
Banking Regulation 2012 Summit
Banking Union cross-eurozone to separate financial-sector risks from sovereign debt troubles
Main Elements
Single Supervisory system through European bank Regulator
Responsibility for Regulator rests with European Central Bank
Establishment of European Deposit insurance and Resolution Authority
Began Operating in November 2014
Single Supervisory System (SSM)
Main Objectives
Ensure Safety and Soundness of European Banking System
Increase financial Integration and Stability
Consistent Supervision
What are two main functions of Government in Financial Markets/
Control Money Supply
Control Inflation
What are main objectives of modern government?
Price stability
Low-unemployment
Balance of payments equilibrium
Economic Growth