#treasury

27 03, 2024

DAILY032724

2024-03-27T16:47:24-04:00March 27th, 2024|2- Daily Briefing|

FRB-Cleveland Study: Banks Beat Capital-Rule Reaper

One of the major complaints banks have raised with the pending end-game capital rules is that the proposed transition period for final implementation does not soften the blow as the agencies argue.

Treasury Points to AI Fraud, Cyber Risk; Presses for New Rules, Best Practices

Adhering to the President’s AI executive order (see Client Report AI3), Treasury today assessed AI risk in the financial sector, concluding that further work is required to address AI-related fraud and cybersecurity risks.

FRB-NY: Mid-Size Regionals Show Deposit/Asset Recovery

A new report from Federal Reserve Bank of New York staff finds that the 2023 failures had little lasting impact on bank deposit costs and funding practices save for banks between the $50 to $250 billion level the study dubs “super-regionals.”

KC Fed: Core-System Providers May Have Undue Market Power

A new report from Kansas City Fed staff finds that three core-system providers dominate this critical sector, making it difficult for depository institutions and especially smaller banks to obtain better service levels.

Daily032724.pdf

1 03, 2024

DAILY030124

2024-03-01T17:10:56-05:00March 1st, 2024|2- Daily Briefing|

Fed Emergency Powers Back on Senate Docket

Just before the Senate passed the stopgap bill to avert a shutdown, Sen. Paul (R-KY) forced a vote on an amendment to prevent the Fed from buying debt from states and municipalities.

DOJ Goes After “Gate-Keepers”

In remarks late yesterday, Assistant AG Jonathan Kanter highlighted the impact of new DOJ/FTC guidelines (see FSM Report MERGER13) and enforcement efforts with regard to “gate-keepers” – i.e., “monopoly chokepoints” so powerful that they control entry and pricing in a key sector in which they also often compete.

Fed Seems a Bit Warier of Banking-System Stress

The Fed monetary-policy report submitted today ahead of Chair Powell’s testimony next week includes a financial-stability analysis largely derived from the FRB’s most recent financial-stability report (see Client Report SYSTEMIC97) and the update provided earlier this week by a key FRB-NY official.

White House Steps in to Comfort NYCB Worries

At close of business, NYCB shares had sunk to levels not seen since 1997 following the release of still more bad news on Thursday.

Daily030124.pdf

14 02, 2024

DAILY021424

2024-02-14T17:29:47-05:00February 14th, 2024|2- Daily Briefing|

Global Regulators Propose Ways to Limit Variation-Margining Stress

As promised, CPMI and IOSCO have issued a discussion paper on CCP and clearing-member variation-margin practices.  The global agencies propose eight principles to enhance the likelihood that margins will be covered in stress situations, a continuing challenge based on a recent IMF paper finding that up to a third of EU active-derivatives users would not be able to meet variation-margin calls under stress and would thus turn to liquidating MMF shares or other assets in a manner likely to amplify market stress.

HFSC Deploys Power of the Purse to Pressure FinCEN

As anticipated, today’s HFSC hearing with Treasury and FinCEN was highly partisan, with Republicans continuing to blast FinCEN for what they call SAR surveillance and now threatening to block any increased funding for FinCEN until it also improves beneficial-ownership reporting to the GOP’s liking. Rep. Loudermilk (R-GA) also criticized FinCEN for failing to release the statutorily-mandated BSA review and the $10,000 threshold review.

Barr Sees Banking System as Strong, Liquid

In remarks today, FRB Vice Chair Barr emphasized that, despite pockets of risk and CRE worries, the banking system is sound and he sees no liquidity-risk concerns across the financial system.  Still, March 2023 taught hard lessons, he said, with banks since taking significant steps to reduce HTM holdings and enhance liquidity resilience.

Daily021424.pdf

30 01, 2024

DAILY013024

2024-01-30T17:13:26-05:00January 30th, 2024|2- Daily Briefing|

FinCEN Estimates High Bank-BOI Reporting Costs

FinCEN via the Federal Register today requested comment on the estimated total annual reporting and recordkeeping burden for new Access Rule beneficial ownership information (BOI) reporting requirements (see FSM Report AML135).

Brown Puts More Pressure on Powell

Following Sen. Warren’s rate-cut demands and affordable housing concerns yesterday, Senate Banking Committee Chairman Brown (D-OH) today sent a letter to FRB Chair Powell also calling for less restrictive monetary policy on grounds that elevated rates negatively impact home affordability, limit the housing supply, restrict small business growth, and dampen wages.

HFSC Targets China Sanctions, Outbound Investments

Today’s HFSC National Security Subcommittee Hearing focused on China sanctions and restrictions on outbound investments.

GOP Demands Retraction of CFPB Tech-Payment Proposal

Reiterating their opposition to the Bureau’s pending digital-payment rule (see FSM Report PAYMENT27), HFSC Chairman McHenry (R-NC) alongside Digital Assets Subcommittee Chairman Hill (R-AR) and Rep. Flood (R-NE) sent a letter today urging the CFPB to reopen and extend the comment period and reconsider finalizing the rule as proposed.

Daily013024.pdf

18 01, 2024

DAILY011824

2024-01-18T16:58:16-05:00January 18th, 2024|2- Daily Briefing|

Basel Head Backs U.S. End-Game

In an FT interview today, the Basel Committee’s chair, Pablo Hernández de Cos, unsurprisingly endorsed the U.S. end-game proposal, indirectly but firmly rebutting assertions that it is at variance with global norms.

The Shape of Liquidity Rules to Come

Previewing the construct of what may soon be the anticipated inter-agency proposal addressing liquidity-risk lessons-learned, Acting Comptroller Hsu today argued that the liquidity coverage ratio’s treatment of retail depositors (see FSM Report LIQUIDITY17) does not address likely depositor herding as they run for the exit.

Rounds, Sinema Press for SIFI-Designation Rollback

Senate Banking Committee Member Rounds (R-SD) alongside Sen. Sinema (I-AZ) introduced S.3601, legislation to codify 2019 standards (see FSM report SIFI35) adding significantly more obstacles to systemic designation compared to FSOC’s new approach (see FSM report SIFI36).

Steele’s Good-Bye Presses for More Tough Standards

In his last speech in office, Assistant Secretary for Financial Institutions Graham Steele today called for reassessment of the treatment of unrealized gains or losses not just under the capital rules, but also in the liquidity standards (where they are in fact to some degree now captured).

House Democrats Damn Capital Proposal With Faint Praise

In this report, we begin our assessment of Congressional end-game comment letters.

Senate Letters Slam Capital Proposal’s Tax-Equity Risk Weight Changes

Here, we turn to several Senate letters on the end-game proposal.

Daily011824.pdf

12 01, 2024

DAILY011224

2024-01-12T15:31:11-05:00January 12th, 2024|2- Daily Briefing|

Emmer, HFSC GOP Reintroduce FSOC Oversight Measure

Following a hearing earlier this week at which GOP Members reiterated longstanding FSOC criticism, House Majority Whip Emmer (R-MN) has reintroduced legislation along with ten other HFSC Republicans to bring FSOC under congressional appropriations.

HFSC Bipartisan AI Task Force Already Divided on Key Priorities

Reflecting growing concern about AI’s risks (see Client Report FSOC29), HFSC Chairman McHenry (R-NC) and Ranking Member Waters (D-CA) yesterday announced the creation of a bipartisan AI Working Group to be led by Digital Assets Subcommittee Chairman Hill (R-AR) and Ranking Member Lynch (D-MA).

House Passes Measures to Check Chinese Economic Power

The House today passed several bills addressing the role of China in IMF and World Bank policy and a renewed attempt to limit what many Members of Congress consider Chinese currency manipulation (H. R. 839).

The Fed Becomes a Big Loser

The Federal Reserve System today released its preliminary FY23 financial results, the first look into the System’s operating condition above and beyond its significant mark-to-market losses.

Daily011224.pdf

5 01, 2024

INCLUSION3

2024-01-05T09:31:42-05:00January 5th, 2024|1- Financial Services Management|

U.S. Financial-Inclusion Policy

As required by law, the U.S. Treasury is working to set policy enhancing financial inclusion.  While it seeks recommendations for new policies in areas ranging from predatory lending to technological innovation and new federal programs, it is unclear how actionable its findings will prove and if federal policymakers then implement those possible under current law.  However, Treasury policy will clearly not provide an overall endorsement for new technology as advocates may hope; the conclusions on which policy will be based point to technology’s potential benefits, but also numerous risks to vulnerable households and communities.

INCLUSION3.pdf

22 12, 2023

DAILY122223

2023-12-29T10:01:49-05:00December 22nd, 2023|2- Daily Briefing|

President Imposes Sweeping Secondary Sanctions

Responding to ongoing evidence that sanctions are not working as hoped despite recent Treasury assurances they are, the President today issued a sweeping executive order and Treasury laid out secondary sanctions for financial institutions found to facilitate Russian Federation finances related to its “war machine.”  We will shortly provide clients with an in-depth analysis of these actions which pose significant threats to dollar-clearing access for financial institutions that have so far been largely outside the reach of existing sanctions.

Treasury Requests Feedback for Financial Inclusion Strategy

Following a statutory directive, Treasury today issued an RFI to develop a national strategy for financial inclusion.  We will shortly provide clients with an in-depth report on the RFI.  Noting significant disparities in banking-system access for LMI, low-wealth, Black, and Hispanic households as well as discrepancies in rates of stock and business ownership between white, Black, and Hispanic households, the RFI invites recommendations for policy, government programs, financial products, technology, and other tools and market infrastructure.

Brown Prioritizes Housing, ILC Bill, AI in 2024

The Senate Banking Committee today released its policy outlook entering 2024 prioritizing affordable housing, enacting the ILC-powers bill (see FSM Report ILC17), and AI financial-sector policy (likely here picking up the Warner-Kennedy bill we will shortly assess in depth).

Daily122223.pdf

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21 12, 2023

DAILY122123

2023-12-21T16:29:00-05:00December 21st, 2023|2- Daily Briefing|

OFR Nomination Scuttled

Although Sen. Jack Reed (D-RI) recently called for his confirmation, Ron Borzekowski’s appointment as Director of the Office of Financial Research was scuttled yesterday in the Senate.

Treasury Payment-System Policy Addresses Resilience, Reserve-Currency Status, Inter-Operability

Providing an update on Treasury’s working group on the future of money and payments, Deputy Assistant Secretary for International Financial Markets Nicholas Tabor yesterday indicated that the working group is considering the implications of new payment technologies for smooth international financial system functioning, U.S. national security, privacy, and financial inclusion.

Reserve Banks Promise a Peek

Tidying up, the Federal Reserve Bank of New York today released a new “Transparency and Accountability” policy on behalf of all of the System’s Banks.

Regulators Clarify Bank BOI Expectations

FinCEN was today joined by the FDIC, FRB, OCC, NCUA, and State Bank and Credit Union Regulators in an interagency statement clarifying that FinCEN’s beneficial ownership information Access Rule does not create new regulatory requirements or supervisory expectations for banks to access BOI from the beneficial ownership IT System.

Daily122123.pdf

18 12, 2023

FSOC29

2023-12-18T11:36:07-05:00December 18th, 2023|5- Client Report|

FedFin Assessment: FSOC Worries A Lot, Watches, Waits

This year’s FSOC report trods much old ground with two exceptions.  The first pertains to a new focus on artificial intelligence, machine learning, and new, generative technologies.  That said, the report does little beyond highlight this risk and include it among all the others federal agencies are told to monitor.  Private credit now also alarms FSOC, with insurance company investment in this sector of particular systemic concern in concert with the sectors’ CRE and junk-bond exposures, offshore reinsurance, and PE ownership.  As detailed in this report, banks are found to be resilient and have ample capital even as the report supports consideration of pending regulatory revisions.  Banking agencies are also asked to monitor uninsured-deposit levels and assess run-risk in light of social media and other accelerants.  In sharp contrast to more alarmist statements in the past and extensive Treasury reports (see Client Report CRYPTO32), this year’s report downplays cryptoasset risk because federal regulators are said to have taken steps to contain it.  The report also reiterates FSOC’s continuing focus on cyber and climate risk, with the closed session preceding the meeting considering a framework being developed by the OCC to measure and monitor financial risks and bank exposures.  Agencies are also encouraged to pursue comparable, “decision-useful” climate disclosures.  The LIBOR transition is considered a success and no longer poses a systemic risk.

FSOC29.pdf

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