The European Banking Authority (EBA) has published its opinion regarding the Danish FSA's proposal of a partial waiver from the application of Article 129 (1)(c) of the Capital Requirements Regulation (CRR). Finansinspektionen will also implement the partial waiver within its jurisdicition.
Financial stability is the ability of the financial system to uphold its core functions in changing economic conditions. Besides resilience of the financial system, FI has been given responsibility for counteracting imbalances on the credit market.
This memorandum describes FI's methods for assessing the capital adequacy requirement within the framework of Pillar 2 for three different types of risk.
In FI's opinion, resilience in the fi nancial system is currently satisfactory. FI's increased capital requirements have helped improve the resilience of banks. At the same time, the banks' need for market funding makes the fi nancial system vulnerable to shocks.
Finansinspektionen (FI) shall, in accordance with the Capital Buffers Act (2014:966), set a countercyclical buffer guide and a countercyclical buffer rate for each quarter.
Finansinspektionen (Swedish Financial Supervisory Authority – FI) considers that a leverage ratio requirement may serve an important function for establishing financial stability in Sweden as a back-stop, which sets a floor for how low the capital adequacy requirement can fall in relation to the banks' gross assets.
The European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority, EIOPA, has conducted EU-wide stress tests to assess the resilience of European insurance undertakings to adverse market developments. In the Swedish part of the exercise, ten large insurance groups and insurance companies, who account for more than half of the Swedish insurance market, participated.
Foreign insurance provider Victory Life has been put into liquidation as of 25 November 2014 by the order of a court of the British Virgin Islands.
Household debt does not represent a risk to financial stability, but it does increase the macroeconomic risks. If designed to be flexible, an amortisation requirement could reduce these risks.
New mortgage holders are more likely to amortise after the banks introduced individually tailored amortisation plans as of 1 July 2014. The ongoing debate in the media about amortisation and that the Swedish Bankers’ Association has tightened its recommendations regarding amortisation may also have contributed to the increase in amortisation payments.
FI makes the assessment that the risks associated with household debt have not yet reached alarming levels. However, there are also macroeconomic risks associated with rising household indebtedness.
FI makes the assessment that an amortisation requirement that is applied in a flexible manner will strengthen in the long run household resilience to shocks. An amortisation requirement will keep house prices down and slow the rate at which debt is growing, and higher amortisation payments will help households reduce their debts and thus their interest expenses.
FI has tested the resilience of the major Swedish banks to a sharp deterioration in the economy. The study is part of the extensive stress test of 123 European banks coordinated by EBA.
Finansinspektionen (FI) is responsible for ensuring that enforcement of periodic financial information is of high, consistent quality.
Finansinspektionen presents positions to ensure that the Swedish banking system stands more robustly equipped to withstand future financial crises.
There have been inadequacies in the investment advice that Skandiabanken Aktiebolag has provided through tied agents. The bank has not complied with the rules applicable for receiving commission nor dealt with conflicts of interest in the correct manner.
Sweden has a large and interlinked financial system that is dominated by four major banks. Several measures have been taken in recent years to strengthen its stability, and Finansinspektionen (FI) finds that resilience in the financial system is currently satisfactory.
Finansinspektionen has decided to approve the reorganisation of Sparbanken 1826.
Consumers on the financial market face a series of challenges and problems. For example, many savings products are complex, advice is often poor and information is, in many cases, deficient or difficult to understand.
By a decision made on May 12th 2014, Finansinspektionen has decided that Reinhold Europe AB (formerly Reinhold Polska AB) shall pay a penalty fee of SEK 1 500 000 for the failure to publish periodic financial information.
On 3 April, the Government presented a bill regarding strengthened capital adequacy rules.
A smoothly functioning credit market is fundamental to the ability of modest-wealth households to purchase a home. However, high indebtedness carries a risk for individual households, and can pose a risk to financial stability. It is therefore important for Finansinspektionen (FI) to monitor developments in household indebtedness.
Finansinspektionen's and The Riksbank's joint internal audit has assessed the supervision and oversight of the financial infrastructures in Sweden on the basis of the "Principles for financial market infrastructures” (PFMIs) which Finansinspektionen use in its supervision and The Riksbank in its oversight.
Finansinspektionen grants Nasdaq OMX Clearing authorisation to act as a central counterparty in accordance with the EU’s regulation regarding OTC derivatives, central counterparties and transaction registers (EMIR).
FI is expanding and strengthening its organisation with a new position. As of 1 February, Martin Noréus is Deputy Director General.
Finansinspektionen withdraws the authorisation to conduct financing business of Exchange Finans Europe.
Finansinspektionen withdraws the authorisation of Festival International to conduct investment services.
In this report, Finansinspektionen (FI) describes the banks' adaptations to higher capital requirements and the effects on households and non-financial firms.
Swedish banks are relatively strong, but they continue to be vulnerable to disruptions on the financial markets, and the development within the Euro zone continues to represent a risk to the Swedish financial system.
The development of the margins of new mortgages slowed during Q1 2013. Both the banks' funding cost and households' lending rate for new mortgages continued to fall during the quarter.
Many of the development trends in today’s financial markets raise important issues for FI. For consumers, greater mobility and increasingly complex financial products represent not only more opportunities but also higher risks. FI needs to bring attention to these risks and resolve them.
FI is implementing a risk weight floor of 15 per cent for Swedish mortgages. The floor will be implemented as a supervisory measure within Pillar 2.
Macroprudential supervision is not a new concept; it has always been a part of traditional supervision work. This statement was part of Martin Andersson's speech at the Bank & Finans Outlook conference on March 20.
This report is based on Finansinspektionen's (FI's) third large mortgage survey. The survey is based on comprehensive material from the eight largest banks in Sweden.
Finansinspektionen finds that guidelines from the European supervisory authorities addressed to competent authorities or financial market participants are equivalent to Swedish general guidelines.
Both the banks' funding cost and lending rates to households and corporations fell sharply during the fourth quarter of 2012 while the banks' margins on new mortgages increased slightly. Lending to Swedish corporations and households increased during the fourth quarter, but at a slower rate than before. During 2013 Finansinspektionen (FI) will investigate potential measures for how credit institutions can increase the awareness of their customers for how the actual lending rates for mortgages are determined.
Swedish banks have already largely adapted to the forthcoming requirements regarding capital adequacy and access to liquidity. The stricter requirements involve a cost, but also help improve stability in the financial system. On the whole, the forthcoming requirements will generate positive effects for the national economy.
Finansinspektionen’s (FI’s) 2012 risk report 2012 continues to focus on unease on financial markets, where the greatest risk to the Swedish financial system is still a deepened sovereign debt crisis in Europe. Because of low market rates, life insurance undertakings are under pressure, and FI now sees a risk of consumers ending up in a squeeze as the firms review their commitments. This year too, FI views the financial advice market with concern. In this market, consumers are being invited to invest in complex products while advisors receive commissions.
The growth rate of lending to households and corporations is decreasing, but remains positive and is clearly higher than the corresponding figure for the eurozone. Banks' margins on mortgages increased in the same period, according to the second quarterly report.
The issues presented in this year’s Supervision Report stem from the work on financial consumer protection, financial stability and the requirements on company owners and management. In addition, the report discusses the increased international work, primarily within the EU.
During 2011, Finansinspektionen (FI) investigated how 11 financial companies market risks management. ‘Market risk’ refers to the risk of loss-incurring value changes in assets and liabilities due to fluctuations in interest rates, foreign exchange rates, stock prices and commodity prices.
In order to strengthen financial stability and avoid future financial crises, new regulations for the banking sector are being prepared. The regulations include higher capital adequacy requirements.
Loan-to-value ratios decreased for the first time in 10 years and the share of households with new loans over 85 percent has fallen by fifty per cent since 2009. These are some of the findings in Finansinspektionen’s follow-up of the mortgage cap.
High frequency trading contributes to – but is not responsible for – changes in trading. But there is still considerable concern that market abuse has increased and supervision is insufficient. These are the main conclusions from Finansinspektionen’s investigation.
Sweden has remained relatively stable in a turbulent period but during this time the risk level in the Swedish financial system has also risen. The uncertainty in surrounding markets has meant that banks’ liquidity risks and the impact of low interest rates on life insurance undertakings remain in focus. Finansinspektionen also believes there is a risk that the sale of complex products to consumers will increase.
Finansinspektionen (FI) received an assignment from the Government to report on the implementation of the EU Recommendation on remuneration in the financial services sector, the measures taken to ensure compliance with the new rules and how affected companies have adapted to the recommendations.
Finansinspektionen's annual Supervision Report discusses areas in which fundamental issues with regard to supervision and regulatory development have risen to the forefront and in turn have resulted in new lessons and conclusions.
Finansinspektionen believes the risk level in the Swedish financial sector is lower than last year. Both Sweden’s economy and the situation on the financial market have improved. However, the uncertainty present in foreign markets represents a potential threat to Sweden’s development.
FI's annual Supervision Report describes the lessons learned from the financial crisis as well as more general issues regarding consumer protection.
The concern for being victimised by account fraud is greatly unwarranted, according to FI’s survey of 2,898 private persons. The survey, conducted during 2008, found that an estimated 1 per cent of the adult population was defrauded that year. The majority, 84 per cent, of those with claims were fully or partially refunded. The expectations of being refunded were considerably lower, however.
Finansinspektionen is charged with ensuring that the financial system isstable and efficient and that consumer protection is adequate. We carry outthese assignments by conducting supervision of financial companies, whichincludes business intelligence, the granting of licences, preparation of egulations,operational supervision with controls of how companies act andpotential interventions.
The insurance barometer, at a total level, summarises the outcome of the insurance companies’ reporting to Finansinspektionen using the traffic light model and solvency for the last five six-month periods.
The majority of the Swedish households have a strong personal financial position and save for the long-term. Most of them have access to a bank account and payment services and three out of four pay by the Internet. This is according to the responses of 1,309 households regarding personal finances. The survey was conducted for FI by Svenskt Kvalitetsindex during the first quarter of 2009.