EBA stress test reassures but challenges lie elsewhere

04 August 2016

As anticipated the mostly positive results of the 2016 EBA stress tests show visibly strengthened EU banks’ capital position; however main emerging structural weakness remains untested. Referring to the EBA stress test results announced last Friday, Scope Ratings noted that as anticipated on aggregate they highlighted a much improved capital position for the large EU bank sector.
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Warning about CFDs, binary options and other speculative products

02 August 2016

ESMA and a number of national supervisors have observed an increase in the offer of speculative products, including financial contracts for difference (CFDs), binary options and other speculative products (such as rolling spot forex) to retail clients, and at the same time a surge in the numbers of complaints from investors who have suffered significant losses when trading these products. 

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Stress test will be an important input into the supervisory review in 2016

31 July 2016

The European Banking Authority (EBA) published last Friday evening the results of the 2016 EU-wide stress test of 51 banks from 15 EU and EEA countries covering around 70% of banking assets in each jurisdiction and across the EU. The objective of the stress test is to provide supervisors, banks and other market participants with a common analytical framework to consistently compare and assess the resilience of large EU banks to adverse economic developments. Along with the results, the EBA is providing again substantial transparency of EU banks’ balance sheets, with over 16,000 data points per bank, an essential step towards enhancing market discipline in the EU.
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Frequently asked questions on the EU-wide stress test

30 July 2016

The objective of the stress test is to provide supervisors, banks and other market participants with a common analytical framework to consistently compare and assess the resilience of large EU banks to adverse economic developments. But stille teher are questions about methodology, etc… The ten frequently asked questions on the 2016 EU-wide stress test are mentioned below.
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EIOPA joins information exchange agreement

29 July 2016

Victoria Saporta, Chair of the Executive Committee of the International Association of Insurance Supervisors (IAIS), today announced that European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority (EIOPA) has joined an international supervisory cooperation and information exchange agreement. Since the first jurisdiction was admitted in June 2009, membership in the IAIS Multilateral Memorandum of Understanding (MMoU) has grown to now include 56 signatories representing over 65% of worldwide premium volume.
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Panama Papers and Nordea Private Banking Luxembourg

26 July 2016

Following the so-called Panama Papers Nordea’s President and CEO, Casper von Koskull, initiated an internal investigation to conclude whether Nordea Bank S.A. in Luxembourg (NBSA) has adhered to internal rules and external regulations regarding activities related to offshore structures. The investigation has now been completed and presented to Nordea’s Board of Directors. All relevant supervisors have been or will be informed of the findings. Nordea has decided on a number of actions to immediately address key conclusions and the recommendations made by the investigation.
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