European Commission slaps Dutch government on the wrist: the end of AT1 coupon tax deductibility?

Just the other day, the Dutch government announced plans to end the favorable tax treatment of CoCo securities. From 1 January 2019 onward, the tax deductibility of the coupon paid on Additional Tier 1 capital instruments will end. [1] See a Google translation of the announcement here. Such a change in tax treatment likely constitutes a Tax… Read More European Commission slaps Dutch government on the wrist: the end of AT1 coupon tax deductibility?

July 1, 2018February 13, 2019 @cetier1

How questionable is the comparability of Basel risk weights in the EU banking sector?

In a couple of weeks’ time, at the FEBS conference in Rome, Stefan Kerbl and Zsofia Döme from the Austrian national bank (OENB), will present a paper on the comparability of Basel risk weights in the EU banking sector. The short story: according to Stefan and Zsofia there are significant differences in the ways European… Read More How questionable is the comparability of Basel risk weights in the EU banking sector?

May 15, 2018May 15, 2018 @cetier1

No battle plan survives first contact with the enemy

In March 2009, the International Accounting Standards Board started an ambitious plan to make accounting for banks easier to understand. In no less than 97 pages, the IABS laid out its plan to reduce complexity in the reporting of financial instruments.* At the time, the IASB did the right thing. The standard in force was too complex.… Read More No battle plan survives first contact with the enemy

January 29, 2018 @cetier1

Double leverage, a regulatory tribulation

Last week, the UK Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) published a consultation paper on group policy and double leverage, in which the PRA wants to limit the risks arising from excessive double leverage. The consultation paper and the associated speech by Sam Woods received some coverage, though the ECM addendum on Non-Performing Loans probably attracted more… Read More Double leverage, a regulatory tribulation

October 11, 2017January 18, 2020 @cetier1

Sovereign Holdings by EU Banks

The EBA just published the results of the 2016 transparency exercise. Yay! The EBA decided to deliver on its promise to present more detailed data of individual banks. (I hope the EBA now forgives me for posting a critical note on their bank disclosure plans earlier this year.) I toyed a bit with the data… Read More Sovereign Holdings by EU Banks

December 4, 2016 @cetier1

The EBA Stress Test Data in Handy Format

Please find here the EBA 2016 stress test data in a handy format that allows quick comparison with data of the 2015 Transparency exercise. This allows you to compare data from December 2014 to December 2015. I stuck to only the data from the “Other” template, but it does cover all scenarios. I replaced variable… Read More The EBA Stress Test Data in Handy Format

July 31, 2016 @cetier12 Comments

Good luck harmonising European bank capital!

Following up on my post of some days ago on Europe’s efforts to harmonise bank capital, it dawned upon me that this harmonisation plan will probably not go well. Today, Danièle Nouy confirmed there will be a consultation on ECB’s efforts to harmonise Options and National Discretions (ONDs) in the CRR. Consultation, consultation, consultation. Mind… Read More Good luck harmonising European bank capital!

October 20, 2015 @cetier1

The language of Capital and Equity

Frances Coppola this week posted on her blog an explanation of Capital, liquidity and the countercyclical buffer, in plain English. Frances posted because of Caroline Binham’s use of language in a Financial Times article. Caroline, according to Frances, is wrong. So wrong even that she takes it out on Caroline, blaming her for not being… Read More The language of Capital and Equity

October 3, 2015 @cetier1

In defence of bank DTAs

Over the last weeks, the issue of bank Deferred Tax Assets (DTAs) came up again. What does not really help ending this story is the confusion on the subject of DTAs. Let me make a stab in trying to end the DTA confusion. Here are some snippets that from various news sources that I gathered.… Read More In defence of bank DTAs

October 1, 2015 @cetier15 Comments

Greek Banks and Article 92 CRR

Silvia Merler published a great post on the solvency of Greek banks. Though she focuses on CET1 ratios, I just realised that Article 92 of the CRR requires this: 1. Subject to Articles 93 and 94, institutions shall at all times satisfy the following own funds requirements: (a) a Common Equity Tier 1 capital ratio… Read More Greek Banks and Article 92 CRR

July 14, 2015 @cetier1

Capital Issues

The ambitious attempt to clarify the World of Regulatory Bank Capital

Category: CRD IV