#SIFI – Federal Financial Analytics

15 03, 2023

DAILY031523

Eliza Allen2023-03-15T16:58:30-04:00March 15th, 2023|2- Daily Briefing|

Waters Reiterates ICE/BKI Opposition

HFSC Ranking Member Waters (D-CA) released a statement today applauding the FTC’s move to block Intercontinental Exchange from acquiring the mortgage software company Black Knight.

Progressives Press For Tailoring Redo

Cementing prior denouncements of 2018 Dodd-Frank “rollbacks” into legislative action, 17 Democratic senators and 31 House Members today took direct aim at Trump-era banking policy by introducing legislation that would repeal Title IV of the Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief, and Consumer Protection Act.

Bowman Presses Small-Bank Mergers, Climate Caution, Third-Party Guardrails

In remarks today, FRB Governor Bowman noted that delays in merger reviews cause significant operational and reputational risks and suggested considering all competitors when evaluating a small bank merger’s competitive effect to reduce delays.

New CFPB RFI Brings Data Brokers Under Scrutiny

Ahead of a planned rulemaking, the CFPB today released an RFI seeking comments on the business practices of data brokers, focusing on new business models to determine if certain practices fall under the scope of FCRA.

Warren, Blumenthal Call on DOJ, SEC to Investigate SVB

Although media reports indicate that an investigation is already under way, Sens. Warren (D-MA) and Blumenthal (D-CT) sent a letter today to Attorney General Garland and SEC Chairman Gensler urging them to investigate senior SVB officials if they are not already doing so.

FHFA Delays New DTI-Based Upfront Fee

Following an announcement this January that FHFA would implement changes to Fannie and Freddie’s single-family pricing framework, Director Thompson today announced that the Agency will delay the effective …

6 02, 2023

DAILY020623

Eliza Allen2023-02-06T16:57:16-05:00February 6th, 2023|2- Daily Briefing|

FRB-NY Confirms Regional-Bank Struggle Following LIBOR Transition

A new Federal Reserve Bank of New York staff study and blog post reaffirms many regional-bank fears about the LIBOR transition not fully allayed by compromise provisions in the Fed’s recent benchmark-setting regulation (see FSM Report LIBOR9). Focusing on the credit-line sector (which is largely unfunded), the paper finds that the likely cost of bank wholesale funding under stress will sharply exceed that earned on corporate-line drawdowns priced to SOFR, with these spreads likely especially wide for regional banks. The paper’s models and data thus lead to the conclusion that the shift to SOFR will decrease line availability.

Barr Prioritizes Privacy, Small-Bank Capital, FSOC Restraints

A new staff memo provides not only the agenda for Wednesday’s House Financial Institutions & Monetary Policy Subcommittee, but also the priorities Chairman Barr (R-KY) will pursue with regard to financial regulation. Key concerns are encouraging fintech, data privacy (a priority issue also for Chairman McHenry), facilitating de novo charters, and holding the banking agencies accountable. Bills on which a record will be established is one yet to be introduced to revise the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act’s privacy standards to stipulate federal preemption, expand coverage and give consumers rights akin to those now also under consideration by the CFPB for a limited number of banking activities (see FSM Report DATA3).

Daily020623.pdf…

21 11, 2022

GSE-112122

Eliza Allen2022-11-21T16:42:15-05:00November 21st, 2022|4- GSE Activity Report|

We’re Starting to See SIFIs

As came out into the open last week, FSOC will finally turn to rewriting the Trump era rewrite of the Obama Administration’s FSOC protocols regarding systemic financial institutions and activities. Could the SIFI reaper be coming for Fannie and Freddie? We doubt it, but then again…

GSE-112122.pdf…

21 11, 2022

FedFin: We’re Starting to See SIFIs

Arezou Rafikian2022-11-22T13:21:33-05:00November 21st, 2022|The Vault|

As came out into the open last week, FSOC will finally turn to rewriting the Trump era rewrite of the Obama Administration’s FSOC protocols regarding systemic financial institutions and activities. Could the SIFI reaper be coming for Fannie and Freddie? We doubt it, but then again…

The full report is available to subscription clients. To find out how you can sign up for the service, click here.…

15 11, 2022

REFORM214

Max Camateros-Mann2022-11-22T15:27:38-05:00November 15th, 2022|5- Client Report|

Crypto, Deposit Rates, Capital Top Senate Discussion

At today’s Senate Banking oversight hearing with the banking agencies, Chairman Brown (D-OH) generally applauded the work of regulators, emphasizing the need for tough standards, like-kind rules for bigtech companies, and an inquiry into why depositor interest rates lag Fed rate hikes along lines posed earlier by Sen. Reed (D-RI). FDIC Acting Chairman Gruenberg concurred, criticizing banks for sluggish rates. Ranking Member Toomey (R-PA) reiterated his longstanding complaints about regulators straying outside their mission in areas such as climate change. He also called for SLR relief to reduce Treasury-market risk and opposed pending large-bank resolution guidance (see FSM Report LIVINGWILL19) on grounds that it is unnecessary.

REFORM214.pdf…

25 08, 2022

DAILY082522

Eliza Allen2023-01-04T10:34:26-05:00August 25th, 2022|2- Daily Briefing|

KC-Fed: Data Aggregation Requires Rules Before Mass Adoption

The Kansas City Fed yesterday released a briefing on data aggregators concluding that they can improve the efficiency and quality of consumer financial services if proper regulation protecting data security and privacy is enacted.

SEC Prioritizes Enforcement, Disclosure, Working-Families and Systemic Risk

The SEC’s new strategic plan through 2026 speaks to Chairman Gensler’s focus on fairness, economic opportunity, and enforcement. Specifics are sparse, but the plan puts the agency’s enforcement policy in the context of protecting “working families” especially when it comes to enforcement in areas such as cryptoassets.

FSI Report: Bigtech, Third Party Vendors Pose Operational Risk

The BIS Financial Stability Institute today released a study examining operational resiliency through a macroprudential lens, offering recommendations on how to address systemic risks presented by critical third-party service providers and bigtech.

Daily082522.pdf…

9 06, 2022

DAILY060922

Eliza Allen2023-01-27T15:47:44-05:00June 9th, 2022|2- Daily Briefing|

FSB, IMF Close One Data-Gap Project, Open Next Phase

In a joint report today, the FSB and the IMF reported progress on closing financial data gaps, closing the second phase of the Data Gaps Initiative called for by the G20 in 2009. The project identified these gaps in the wake of the financial crisis, with phase two specifically addressing increasing data collection on financial stability risks and interconnections, as well as enhancing communication of financial statistics. The organizations state that data gaps have closed considerably on financial soundness indicators, G-SIFIs, non-bank intermediation, and other financial stability risks.

IMF Staff Assess Green CBDC Options

A new IMF paper concludes that Proof of Work-based DLT applications should not define any payment system transformation prioritizing reduced energy consumption, including CBDC. Although CBDC could be designed to be more energy efficient than the current payment system, the ultimate energy efficiencies and environmental benefits of CBDC will depend on the design priorities of the issuing central bank.

BIS Officials Caution re “Green Bubbles”

In an article today, top BIS officials highlighted the potential risk of “green bubbles” and stressed the limits of the financial industry’s ability to reduce climate risk. The article states that the financial sector faces the same misalignment of incentives as other industries, with the current generation bearing the costs of a green transition that will mainly benefit future generations.

Daily060922.pdf…

11 05, 2022

DAILY051122

Eliza Allen2023-02-21T15:33:13-05:00May 11th, 2022|2- Daily Briefing|

HFSC re FSOC: SIFIs, Climate, Stablecoins, Lots More

Looking ahead to tomorrow’s HFSC hearing with Secretary Yellen, the Democratic staff memo suggests that this session will track much of what occurred yesterday at Senate Banking (see Client Report FSOC26): i.e., discussion of the need for stablecoin legislation, the role of SIFI designation, and the overall risks presented by higher inflation, Russia, China, and climate change.

Basel Plans Wholesale Review of Post-GFC Regulatory Regime

The head of the Basel Committee, Pablo Hernández de Cos, today announced a full-scale evaluation of the Basel III construct set for release later this year. The report will evaluate complexity, regulatory interactions and systemic-risk dynamics, focusing on capital, liquidity, leverage, and macroprudential elements of the Basel III reforms. The report will also evaluate resilience and financial-activity behavioral incentives.

FSB Plans Commodity, Climate, Crypto Agenda

In remarks today, FSB head Klaas Knot reiterated ongoing concern about commodity markets and continuing financial-market resilience despite stress absorption since Russia first invaded Ukraine. Mr. Knot is also concerned that some banks are generally over-leveraged and those with prime brokers may be at particular risk.

Daily051122.pdf…

10 05, 2022

FSOC26

Max Camateros-Mann2023-02-21T15:44:58-05:00May 10th, 2022|5- Client Report|

Stablecoin Risk Sparks Renewed Legislative Interest

Today’s Senate Banking Committee hearing with Secretary Yellen renewed calls for federal legislation based on recent algo-coin losses and resulting digital-currency market volatility. Chairman Brown (D-OH) and Ranking Member Toomey (R-PA) each noted the need for digital-asset legislation, with Mr. Toomey eliciting a commitment from Ms. Yellen to work with him to advance a measure, albeit without any specifics. We will await Thursday’s HSFC hearing before forecasting the prospects for stablecoin legislation in the relatively short time remaining in this session, with this report assessing the details of today’s discussion, as well as the Secretary’s very cautious approach to renewing SIFI designation while under fire from Sen. Warren (D-MA).

FSCO26.PDF…