NPLs

EMU: European Commission Publishes Reports on Progress

The European Commission has recently published the following documents, accompanied by a series of press releases and fact sheets:

  • Communication, Deepening Europe’s Economic Monetary Union (EMU): Taking stock four years after the Five Presidents’ Report.
  • Staff Working Document, Strengthening the International Role of the Euro, Results of the Consultations.

Related to these documents, the Commission published a Communication, Fourth Progress Report on the reduction of non-performing loans (NPLs) and further risk reduction in the Banking Union.

Joint Committees of ESAs Recommend Action to Address Risks and Uncertainties in EU Financial System

 

On September 11, the Joint Committee of the ESAs published a report on the risks and vulnerabilities in the EU financial system (JC 2018 34), which sets out recommendations for policy action. The report can be found here.

The report states that in the light of ongoing risks and uncertainties, especially those around Brexit, supervisory vigilance and co-operation across all sectors remains key. As a result, the ESAs advise the following policy actions by financial institutions and by EU and national competent authorities:

  • Stress tests. Stress test exercises should continue to be conducted and developed further across all sectors, especially given rising interest rates and the potential for sudden risk premia reversals, which should be factored into the scenarios.
  • Risk appetite. Supervisory authorities need to pay continued attention to the risk appetite of all market participants. Banks should accelerate addressing their stocks of non-performing loans (NPLs) and adapt business models to sustainably improve profitability, and financial institutions need to carefully manage their interest rate risk.
  • Contagion risks. Macro and micro prudential authorities should contribute to addressing possible contagion risks, including continuing their efforts in monitoring lending standards.
  • Brexit. It is crucial that EU financial institutions and their counterparties, as well as investors and retail consumers, plan appropriate mitigating actions to prepare for the UK’s withdrawal from the EU in a timely manner, including the risks associated with a no-deal scenario.

Rating Agency Developments

 

On September 7, 2016, Moody’s updated and replaced its approach to assessing credit risk for U.S. charter schools. Report.

On September 7, 2016, S&P published its global framework criteria for rating securitizations of nonperforming loans. Report.

On September 2, 2016, DBRS issued a report titled: Rating Companies in the Communications Industry. Report.

On September 2, 2016, DBRS issued a report titled: Rating Companies in the Merchandising Industry. Report.

On September 2, 2016, DBRS issued a report titled: Rating Companies in the Consumer Products Industry. Report.

On September 2, 2016, DBRS issued a report titled: Rating Companies in the Oil and Gas Industry. Report.

On September 2, 2016, DBRS issued a report titled: Rating Companies in the Oilfield Services Industry. Report.

On September 2, 2016, DBRS issued a report titled: Rating Companies in the Mining Industry. Report.

On September 2, 2016, DBRS issued a report titled: Rating Container Terminal Operators. Report.

On September 1, 2016, Fitch updated its criteria for servicing continuity risk and incorporated it into the broader counterparty criteria for structured finance and covered bonds. Press release.