The frequently asked questions
(FAQs) below are based on questions received by Board staff during
an industry outreach call and other questions the Federal Reserve
has received from foreign banking organizations (FBOs). For ease of
reference, the questions have been grouped into categories: general,
implementation plan, U.S. structure, regulatory reporting, capital
adequacy, capital stress testing, risk management, liquidity, and
other. Additional categories may be added as these FAQs are updated.
These FAQs are not official interpretations of the Board
of Governors. These FAQs illustrate how select provisions of the regulation
apply to specific situations. However, they do not necessarily address
all provisions that may apply to any given situation. Board staff
may supplement or revise these FAQs as necessary or appropriate in
light of further questions and experience. These FAQs do not address
the applicability of any other federal or state laws.
General Q1. How should FBOs direct questions on the enhanced prudential standards
to the Federal Reserve?
A1. FBOs should submit
questions on the enhanced prudential standards to the FBO-Enhanced-Prudential-Standards-Implementation@frb.gov
mailbox (the “mailbox”) for a response. Questions and other materials
submitted through the mailbox will be disseminated to the appropriate
reviewers within the Federal Reserve System, including the relevant
supervisory staff. If needed, meetings may be scheduled to discuss
submitted questions and materials in more detail. Staff will respond
in writing to the particular institution through the mailbox and may
publish questions and responses of a general nature in future FAQ
documents.
The mailbox is only for use by supervised financial institutions.
It is not for use by external consultants and counsel.
Implementation Plan Q2. Does the Federal Reserve intend to issue further
guidance on the implementation plan beyond the specifications in the
final rule?
A2. Board staff will respond to
specific questions submitted by firms and may issue future FAQs. However,
Board staff does not anticipate issuing further instructions regarding
the content of the plan.
Q3. What is the recommended
scope and level of detail of the implementation plan?
A3. In its implementation plan, an FBO should assess
the extent to which it is currently in compliance with the structural,
capital, risk management, and liquidity requirements that come into
effect on July 1, 2016; describe the actions that the FBO must take
to come into compliance and provide a timeline for such actions; identify
any obstacles or impediments that may affect the FBO’s ability to
come into compliance, and discuss how the FBO plans to address those
obstacles/impediments. For example, an FBO should:
- discuss plans for the accretion, transfer, or raising
of capital, if necessary to come into compliance with the final rule’s
requirements;
- discuss plans to address any liquidity shortfalls,
which may include actions to lengthen the term of third-party funding
or of intra-company loans or plans for the FBO to contribute highly
liquid assets to its U.S. operations;
- discuss plans for development of management information
systems (MIS) that can aggregate risk metrics across the combined
U.S. operations, such as liquidity data; and
- describe the projected structure, roles, and responsibilities
of the U.S. risk committee, including how that risk committee will
interact with the larger global operations and how the firm will avoid
potential conflicts of interest.
Q4. What format should FBOs use to provide
pro-forma quarterly financial statements?
A4. The Federal Reserve has not required a specific format for submitting
pro-forma financial statements. Board staff would encourage FBOs to
use the Consolidated Financial Statements for Holding Companies (FR
Y-9C) regulatory report format and instructions as a guide for preparing
the pro-forma financial statements. However, firms may use their own
format to submit pro-forma financial statements.
Q5. For the implementation plan, what length is considered appropriate?
A5. Board staff does not have a view on the appropriate
length of a plan other than that the plan should include detail that
is sufficient to allow Board staff to assess whether it is reasonable
and achievable. The length of the plan will vary among firms, depending
on several factors. Those factors include the structural and legal
complexity of the FBO’s combined U.S. operations, the number of exemption
requests, the extent to which the FBO must take actions to come into
compliance with the final rule, and the number of obstacles that the
FBO faces related to compliance with the final rule.
FBOs should consider providing an executive
summary for those areas of the plan that require a lengthy discussion
and providing supporting documents and exhibits in order to facilitate
review of the plan. Following an FBO’s submission of the implementation
plan, Board staff will review the FBO’s implementation project plans
through the normal supervisory process to ensure that FBOs are progressing
toward full compliance.
Q6. What time period
should the quarterly pro-forma financial statements cover?
A6. Board staff would prefer for financial data
to begin December 31, 2014 and end December 31, 2017.
Q7. What forecasting scenarios should FBOs use to
prepare the pro-forma financial statements?
A7. The forecast should be a realistic forecast of the balance sheet
and income statements under expected conditions, using conservative
assumptions. The forecast should not be a post-stress analysis.
Q8. Do high quality liquid assets under the Board’s
proposed liquidity coverage ratio (proposed U.S. LCR as it will be
finalized) qualify as highly liquid assets for purposes of the liquidity
buffer? Will it be sufficient for an FBO to describe the assets it
intends to hold in its buffer in the implementation plan (with any
relevant haircuts) or is there another process for demonstrating the
appropriateness of additional highly liquid assets?
A8. As noted in the preamble, the Board anticipates that
high-quality liquid assets under the proposed U.S. LCR would generally
be liquid under most scenarios. However, firms are required by the
final rule to demonstrate to the Board that inclusion of particular
assets in the firm’s buffer are:
- appropriate in light of the liquidity risk profile
of the firm;
- meet the diversification requirement; and
- have appropriate haircuts.
Assets that are not eligible for inclusion in
the numerator of the LCR, but have low market or credit risk may be
eligible for inclusion in the liquidity buffer required under Regulation
YY. A summary of the firm’s analysis of the assets
included in its liquidity buffer should be included in the firm’s
implementation plan.
Q9. Can the Federal Reserve
provide additional guidance on the level of description of risk-management
practices that should be included in the implementation plan?
A9. The plan should include a description of the
proposed structure of the risk committee for the FBO’s combined U.S.
operations and the intermediate holding company (IHC) risk committee,
a description of the proposed placement and responsibilities of the
U.S. chief risk officer (CRO), and a description of how the FBO will
come into compliance with the risk-management requirements in the
final rule.
Q10. Does the Federal Reserve expect
FBOs to discuss contemplated transfers of assets to branches or among
subsidiaries in the implementation plan?
A10. Material
asset transfers between a U.S. branch and subsidiaries should be included
in the plan. All asset transfers would need to be in compliance with
sections 23A and 23B of the Federal Reserve Act and the Board’s Regulation
W.
While the final rule does not prohibit asset transfers
between U.S. subsidiaries and U.S. branches, in the open Board meeting,
Board staff noted that the Federal Reserve would monitor material
shifts of assets from subsidiaries to branches through the supervisory
process and would take appropriate supervisory action to address safety
and soundness concerns.
Q11. What level of detail
regarding capital stress testing should be included in the implementation
plan?
A11. The plan must address any need to
develop the MIS, staff, and governance/oversight framework necessary
to comply with the capital plan rule and the stress testing rule.
Aspects to consider include the IHC’s ability to:
- accurately complete the Capital Assessments and Stress
Testing (FR Y-14A, Q, M) regulatory reports;
- accurately calculate current consolidated capital
positions; and
- forecast losses and revenues under baseline and stress
scenarios to produce reliable estimates of future capital needs.
Q12. Can requests for multiple U.S. IHCs or
alternative organizational structures be included in the implementation
plan?
A12. No. The implementation plan is not
the appropriate vehicle for making formal requests for exemptions
from the single IHC requirement. Those requests should be submitted
separately to the mailbox. However, the firm should note any exemption
request in its implementation plan.
Q13. Can
other requests for exemptions under the rule, such as a request to
maintain subsidiaries outside of the U.S. IHC or to establish alternative
U.S. CRO reporting lines, be included in the implementation plan?
A13. No, a firm requesting an exemption from
the final rule should submit its request to the mailbox separately
from its implementation plan. However, the firm should note any exemption
request in its implementation plan.
Q14. Should
the FBO assume that exemptions requested in the implementation plan,
such as requests to maintain individual subsidiaries outside of the
IHC, are granted when presenting timelines, plans, and pro-forma financial
statements?
A14. The plan should not assume
that exemptions are granted.
Q15. Should the
FBO assume that exemption requests for multiple U.S. IHCs or alternative
organizational structures are granted when preparing the implementation
plan?
A15. Generally, Board staff expects that
an FBO would submit an implementation plan that is consistent with
the requirements of the final rule, including the requirement to form
a single IHC, unless the FBO receives formal, written approval of
an alternative structure from the Board. An FBO that plans to seek
approval of an alternative organizational structure
that would materially affect its implementation plan should seek guidance
from Board staff as to whether the FBO should also reflect
this alternative organizational structure in its implementation plan.
Q16. Does an FBO have to resubmit the implementation
plan in the event of a material change?
A16. The
implementation plan is designed to permit the Federal Reserve to evaluate
whether the FBO is on a path toward compliance with the final rule
by July 1, 2016. If there is a material change that would affect the
firm’s ability to be in compliance by that date, an FBO is expected
to revise its plan to reflect the material changes. A “material change”
would be an event that would materially affect the path toward compliance,
such as a sizeable merger or acquisition transaction, sale or wind-down
of major business lines or assets, or a material restatement of financial
reports. Changes made to the plan after the January 1, 2015 deadline
should be submitted to the mailbox with an explanatory note. Board
staff will endeavor to incorporate changes in the analysis of the
plan made after that date but cannot guarantee that revisions received
after the submission deadline will be reflected in our initial feedback
on the plans.
Q17. Under what circumstances
would the Federal Reserve entertain requests for extensions of the
deadline for filing implementation plans?
A17. All firms are expected to meet the filing timelines set forth
in Regulation YY. If a bank is unclear about the requirements for
the implementation plan, it should seek clarification via the mailbox.
U.S. Structure Q18. How should an FBO calculate total combined
U.S. assets?
A18. Total combined U.S. assets
should be calculated using the definition for line item 6 of the Capital
and Asset Report for Foreign Banking Organizations (FR Y-7Q) reporting
form.
Q19. What accounting rule does an FBO
apply in order to determine what assets should be consolidated?
A19. As instructed in line item 6 of the Capital
and Asset Report for Foreign Banking Organizations (FR Y-7Q) reporting
form, the determination of whether an affiliate of an FBO should be
consolidated should be made in accordance with instructions for the
Consolidated Financial Statements for Bank Holding Companies (FR Y-9C)
reporting form. Further, the Consolidated Financial Statements for
Bank Holding Companies (FR Y-9C) reporting form requires that the
form be prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting
principles. These principles apply to both operational and non-operational
U.S. companies.
Q20. How should an FBO calculate
total U.S. IHC assets (referred to in Regulation YY as “U.S. non-branch
assets”)?
A20. Total U.S. non-branch assets
should be calculated using the definition for line item 7 of the proposed
revised Capital and Asset Report for Foreign Banking Organizations
(FR Y-7Q) reporting form.
Q21. If an asset-backed
commercial paper (ABCP) conduit is incorporated in the United States
but is 100 percent owned and managed by the parent company, should
it be included in total assets even if the FBO does not have to form
a U.S. IHC?
A21. As described in the preamble
to the final rule, the final rule requires an FBO to hold its ownership
interest in ABCP conduits that are “U.S. subsidiaries” under its IHC.
The ABCP conduit would be a U.S. subsidiary, regardless of whether
it is owned or managed by a branch or a foreign affiliate, and enhanced
prudential standards that apply to the FBO’s U.S. subsidiaries would
apply to such an ABCP conduit. Under Regulation YY, U.S. non-branch
assets include the consolidated assets of each top-tier U.S. subsidiary
of the foreign banking organization.
Q22. Do
all bank holding company (BHC) requirements immediately apply to the
IHC if the FBO designates an existing BHC as the IHC? If an FBO designates
an existing BHC as the IHC, can it take advantage of the transition
periods set forth in Regulation YY?
A22. If
an FBO designates an existing BHC as its U.S. IHC, that U.S. IHC would
continue to be subject to the leverage ratio, the capital plan rule,
or the Dodd-Frank Act (DFA) stress testing requirements, and would
not be able to take advantage of any transition periods under Regulation
YY. If and when an FBO moves a subsidiary into the existing BHC, the
leverage ratio applied to that BHC would be calculated on the basis
of the assets of the BHC, including the assets of the new subsidiary,
and stress tests should account for the integration of the new subsidiary’s
assets into the BHC.
Q23. If an FBO has U.S.
non-branch assets of less than $50 billion but decides to establish
an IHC voluntarily, would the FBO be subject to all of the IHC regulatory
requirements?
A23. An FBO that does not meet
the asset threshold (as measured under the rule) for establishing
a U.S. IHC but elects to form an “intermediate” holding company would
not be subject to the regulatory requirements imposed on a “U.S. IHC”
under Regulation YY.
If the “intermediate” holding company were also a BHC,
it would be subject to any regulatory requirements applicable to a
U.S. BHC of that size.
Regulatory
Reporting Q24. Is the IHC (after
formation) subject to U.S. BHC regulatory reporting requirements?
A24. It is expected that the IHC generally will
be subject to the same regulatory reports as a BHC. These reporting
forms are available on our public website (www.federalreserve. gov/apps/reportforms/default.aspx).
Q25. Will the Federal Reserve clarify when IHCs
will be required to submit the FR Y-14M and FR Y-14Q reports when
it publishes the final rule in the Federal Register?
A25. Board staff is in the process of developing
a notice that would set forth the initial reporting period for all
IHC required regulatory reports, including the Capital Assessments
and Stress Testing (FR Y-14) reporting form series.
Q26. What is the timing of future proposed revisions to the regulatory
reports to implement the changes required by the rule such as certification
of a U.S. risk-management committee and components of home country
capital adequacy measures?
A26. Board staff
is in the process of developing changes to regulatory reports for
proposal which would include new line items in reporting forms such
as the Capital and Asset Report for Foreign Banking Organizations
(FR Y-7Q) and the Annual Report of Foreign Banking Organizations (FR
Y-7) reporting forms to collect information required in the rule.
Capital Adequacy Q27. Certain foreign-owned U.S. BHCs are currently
complying with mandatory advanced approaches risk-based capital requirements
and are on parallel run. Does the final rule exempt those U.S. BHCs
from the advanced approaches risk-based capital requirements as of
July 1, 2016 or as of January 1, 2018?
A27. Section
252.153(e)(2)(i)(C) of Regulation YY provides that a BHC that is subject
to the advanced approaches risk-based capital rules and that is a
subsidiary of an FBO that is subject to the requirement to form a
U.S. IHC may, with the prior written approval of the Board, elect
not to comply with the advanced approaches risk-based capital rules.
A BHC may make this election at any time.
Q28. What is the process for a firm to request to opt out of the advanced
approaches risk-based capital rules? What type of information would
be required to assist the Federal Reserve in assessing such a request
and reaching a determination?
A28. Firms
should submit a written request to the mailbox that provides a rationale
as to why they are requesting to opt out of the advanced approaches
risk-based capital rules. Useful information would include a description
of the burdens attendant for such firms in complying with the advanced
approaches risk-based capital rules, such as the development and maintenance
of multiple models, if applicable.
Q29. What
leverage capital requirements apply to the IHC and when are they effective?
A29. Under sections 252.153(e)(1)(ii)(B) and
252.153(e)(2)(i) of Regulation YY, beginning January 1, 2018, all
IHCs will be subject to the generally-applicable minimum leverage
ratio of 4 percent. In addition, IHCs with total consolidated assets
of $250 billion or more or on-balance sheet foreign exposure equal
to $10 billion or more will be required to meet a minimum supplementary
leverage ratio of 3 percent.
Q30. If an FBO
expects that its IHC would be required to seek approval from the Federal
Reserve for a model used to calculate its regulatory capital requirements,
how should it request such approval?
A30. Models
required under subpart F (Risk-Weighted Assets—Market Risk) of Regulation
Q must be approved by the Federal Reserve prior to use in calculating
market-risk-weighted capital. Because an IHC must come into compliance
with Regulation Q, models should be submitted as soon as possible
in order to receive approval. If an IHC opts into the advanced approaches
risk-based capital rules, the IHC should contact the Federal Reserve
early in order to address expectations for the parallel run process.
Requests should be submitted to the on-site supervisory team.
Capital Stress Testing Q31. When are the first capital plan and DFA stress
testing requirements applicable?
A31. Under
the Board’s capital plan rule, the IHC will be required to file its
first capital plan in January 2017. Under section 252.153(e)(1)(ii)(C)
of Regulation YY, in January 2018, the IHC will be subject to the
DFA stress testing rule, the supervisory stress testing requirement,
and an additional mid-cycle company-run stress testing requirement.
Q32. How does the 2017 capital plan and stress
testing requirement differ from those applicable in 2018 and onward?
A32. Under the Board’s capital plan rule, an
IHC required to be formed by July 1, 2016, will submit its first capital
plan in January 2017. Under the capital plan rule, it will be required
to conduct stress tests under any scenarios provided by the Federal
Reserve and under at least one stress scenario developed by the company.
In that initial year, the IHC will not be subject to the
Board’s DFA stress testing rule and will not be subject to the Federal
Reserve’s supervisory stress test and will not have to disclose the
results of any company-run stress test. Under section 252.153(e)(1)(ii)(C)
of Regulation YY, in October 2017, the IHC will be subject to the
DFA stress testing rule, including supervisory stress tests and the
annual and mid-cycle company run stress testing requirement under
the DFA stress test rules.
Q33. When will the
supplementary leverage ratio be treated as a minimum capital requirement
in the context of CCAR?
A33. The supplementary
leverage ratio goes into effect on January 1, 2018. The capital plan
rule requires a company to project its capital levels using the capital
rules that would be in effect during each quarter of the planning
horizon. Thus, where applicable, IHCs should expect that they will
have to meet a 3 percent supplementary leverage ratio on a post-stress
basis during the later quarters of the planning horizon covered by
their first capital plan in 2017.
Q34. What
are the stress-testing requirements for U.S. branches and agencies?
A34. Capital stress-testing requirements for the U.S.
branch and agency network apply at the consolidated level. Under Regulation
YY, by July 1, 2016, an FBO with a U.S. branch or agency with $10
billion or more in global consolidated assets must be subject to an
annual consolidated capital stress testing regime administered by
the FBO’s home-country supervisor and meet the home-country supervisor’s
minimum standards (12 CFR sections 252.122; 252.146; 252.158). In
addition, an FBO with combined U.S. assets of $50 billion or more
must report certain information to the Board regarding the results
of that stress test (12 CFR 252.158).
FBOs that do not meet these stress testing requirements
are subject to an asset maintenance requirement and must conduct an
annual stress test of any U.S. subsidiaries and report the results
to the Board (12 CFR sections 252.122; 252.146; 252.158). Additionally,
the Board may subject FBOs with $50 billion or more in combined U.S.
assets that do not meet these stress requirements to intragroup funding
restrictions and liquidity requirements (12 CFR 252.158).
Q35. If the FBO’s home country does not have a stress
testing regime, the stress testing regime does not meet U.S. minimum
standards, or the FBO does not comply with applicable home country’s
stress test requirements, does the FBO have the flexibility to conduct
the required stress test of all U.S. subsidiaries not held under the
IHC from the head office or a U.S. branch or subsidiary?
A35. An FBO that is not required to establish an IHC and
does not meet the minimum stress test requirements in its home country
may be required to conduct a stress test of its U.S. subsidiaries.
Stress tests of U.S. subsidiaries may be conducted from the head office
or any U.S. entity (12 CFR sections 252.122; 252.146; 252.158).
Q36. According to the instruction for form FR
Y-14Q, new reporters must submit historical data for the pre-provision
net revenue (PPNR) report template as well as the retail schedules.
Is this applicable to IHCs given that retrieving historical data may
be difficult?
A36. The Federal Reserve has
not finalized reporting requirements for IHCs to support the supervisory
stress test. However, IHCs should consider preserving information
required to be reported on the Capital Assessments and Stress Testing
(FR Y-14) reporting form with a data history, such as PPNR report,
to the extent that preserving this information may reduce the burden
of providing such information in the future.
Risk Management Q37. Can the U.S. CRO of an FBO oversee non-U.S. entities such
as the Americas region?
A37. Although the
final rule does not prevent a U.S. CRO from overseeing non-U.S. entities,
the U.S. CRO is expected to be primarily focused on the risk-management
oversight of the FBO’s combined U.S. operations. Risk-management oversight
obligations that would prevent the U.S. CRO from devoting adequate
attention to the combined U.S. operations or would present conflicts
of interest would not be consistent with the final rule.
Q38. How does an FBO certify that is has established
a U.S. risk committee?
A38. The certification
must be filed on an annual basis concurrently with the Annual Report
of Foreign Banking Organizations reporting form (FR Y-7).
Q39. Is there an expectation that the CRO will have
the authority to direct remediation of risk-management deficiencies
or can there be a structure in which the risk-management deficiencies
are addressed through the entity’s risk structure with oversight and
concurrence by the U.S. CRO?
A39. The CRO
for combined U.S. operations has responsibility for remediating risk-management
issues in the United States and that responsibility should not be
delegated to or dependent on others in the global organization. However,
the CRO may consult with or receive assistance from others in the
global organization in carrying out such remediation.
Q40. How does an FBO comply with section 252.155(a)(2)(ii)(B)
of Regulation YY, which requires an FBO to develop “[p]rocesses and
systems for establishing managerial and employee responsibility for
risk management of the combined U.S. operations”?
A40. For management and employees with risk-management
responsibility, the types of actions required under this provision
include, establishing clear roles and responsibilities, setting up
appropriate incentive structures, and ensuring proper accountability.
These processes and systems must be commensurate with the size, structure,
business, and risks of the entity.
Q41. In section
252.155(b)(2)(A through C) of Regulation YY, how is the U.S. CRO expected
to execute the responsibilities of oversight? Specifically in part
(C), how is “testing of such risk controls” defined?
A41. Effective risk management includes confirming that
control measures are functioning as intended, for instance, periodic
review and testing. Such review and testing should confirm that control
measures are aligned with the risk and materiality of practices, portfolios,
and exposures they are intended to address.
Liquidity Q42. The rule states that, for calculation of the net external
stressed cash-flow need, the FBO can calculate its stressed-cash flow
based on the result of stress testing with an appropriate assumption
of run-off and haircuts. What is the appropriate treatment of a U.S.
branch that procures funds by repo transactions from external parties
that mature within a 14 day period? May the branch assume the roll-over
of repo transactions with stress assumptions (i.e., larger haircut,
partial roll-over, etc.) or must the branch assume 100 percent outflow
of cash (i.e., no roll-over), but count returned (i.e., released or
unencumbered) collateral as liquid assets?
A42. If firms are able to rehypothecate collateral they hold that
has been pledged to them to secure a loan (but have not done so),
and if the collateral meets the definition of a highly liquid asset,
the collateral may qualify as a highly liquid asset with appropriate
haircuts. Appropriate haircuts and calculations of inflows and outflows
would depend on the specific terms of the reverse repo transaction.
Inflows related to secured loans can be considered in the measurement
of net cash need, but the firm should also consider the stress scenario
and reputational factors to determine if it would continue to renew
and make new loans.
The rule does not specifically prescribe an outflow rate
for secured transactions. It is acceptable for firms to assume differentiated
outflows dependent on the underlying collateral supporting the secured
borrow.
Q43. Can the IHC liquidity buffer be
held on the balance sheet of the IHC or any subsidiary, so long as
the liquidity stress testing process takes into account restrictions
on transfers of liquidity within the IHC’s consolidated organization?
A43. Within the IHC structure, the liquidity
buffer requirement is consolidated, so qualifying buffer assets at
any entity within the IHC structure could count toward the consolidated
requirement.
A firm’s comprehensive internal liquidity stress testing
should take into account restrictions relating to the movement of
liquidity across legal entities or jurisdictions that may occur within
a stress scenario. In general, sound liquidity risk management relies
on liquidity that is readily available to meet outflows in a time
of stress. To the extent a firm intends to hold a material amount
of buffer assets in a U.S. legal entity that creates impediments to
covering expected outflows from other U.S. legal entities in a stress
event, the firm should be able to articulate why such an arrangement
is appropriate from a liquidity risk-management standpoint, and should
include a description of their reasoning in their implementation plan.
Q44. The preamble to the rule indicates that
the Board is likely to implement the LCR framework for FBOs via future rulemaking.
Are any requirements imposed on either the IHC or the branches of
FBOs?
A44. Board staff does not have additional
information regarding possible future rulemakings. The Board has not
issued a proposal for the implementation of the Basel LCR liquidity
standard for IHCs.
Q45. In producing the comprehensive
cash flow projections for its U.S. operations, will an FBO be required
to consolidate cash flows of entities subject to Regulation W, such
as banks, with cash flows of entities not subject to Regulation W?
A45. Yes. As set forth in section 252.156(d)
of Regulation YY, an FBO must produce comprehensive cash-flow projections
for its combined U.S. operations. The comprehensive cash flow projections
must include the cash flows of all entities included in the combined
U.S. operations, regardless of whether the entities are subject to
Regulation W.
Q46. What is the meaning of independent
when requiring an independent review of the liquidity stress-testing
process?
A46. The independent review must
be independent from the business line executing the funding for the
combined U.S. operations of the FBO. Depending on the complexity of
the organization, it may be possible for the independent review to
be conducted by an independent audit function, an independent function
within the bank that does not report to the treasury function, or
an independent third party.
Q47. How would
the liquidity stress testing and monitoring apply to Cayman branches?
A47. The final rule’s liquidity stress testing
and monitoring apply only to the combined U.S. operations of an FBO.
The Cayman branch is not considered part of the combined U.S. operations
of an FBO. However, that stress test should be reflective of any inflows
or outflows the combined U.S. operations have from or to the Cayman
branch.
Q48. Can a branch use foreign government
debt held in a custody account at the foreign branch of a U.S. bank
in its liquidity buffer? For instance, can a branch count non-U.S.
government bonds that are held in the branch’s name for its liquidity
buffer?
A48. Yes, a U.S. branch may use foreign
government debt held at a U.S. bank custody account at one of the
custody bank’s foreign branches in its liquidity buffer, assuming
the bonds meet the highly liquid asset definition and the branch has
the ability to liquidate that debt in a stress scenario. To the extent
a firm intends to hold a material amount of buffer assets in an account
subject to restrictions relating to the movement of liquidity across
legal entities or jurisdictions, the firm should discuss in its implementation
plan its ability to monetize the assets during a stress scenario.
The preamble also notes that currency risk is one of the factors that
should be considered when assessing haircuts associated with foreign
bonds.
Q49. Under section 252.156(g)(1) of
Regulation YY, the FBO must report its pledged collateral positions.
Can the Federal Reserve clarify what level of detail is required,
in particular whether the report must be done on gross pledged collateral,
net pledged collateral, or both?
A49. The report
of pledged collateral positions should show the overall collateral
position and provide management a good understanding of the position.
If a firm can adequately demonstrate that it can satisfy this expectation
by reporting net pledged collateral positions, then it may be able
to satisfy the requirements of the rule.
Q50. What are the reporting requirements for intraday liquidity and collateral
management?
A50. An FBO with combined U.S.
assets of $50 billion or more must establish and maintain procedures
for monitoring liquidity risk, including: calculation of all of the
collateral positions for its combined U.S. operations on a weekly
basis; monitoring the levels of unencumbered assets available to be
pledged by legal entity, jurisdiction, and currency exposure; and
monitoring and measuring expected daily inflows and outflows. The
types of systems that are developed will be dependent on the size and
complexity of the institution as well as on the size of the institution’s
intraday funding requirements.
Q51. What considerations should an FBO take into account in designing
the three liquidity scenarios?
A51. The FBO
must comprehensively consider funding and off-balance sheet exposures
that could create funding needs in a stressed environment. The FBO
should have three distinct stress tests: a scenario reflecting adverse
market conditions, a scenario reflecting an idiosyncratic stress event
for the bank, and combined scenario reflecting both an idiosyncratic
market stress event. The stress needs to be sufficiently dynamic to
incorporate changes in the covered company’s on balance sheet and
off-balance sheet activities, funding profile, portfolio composition,
asset quality, operating environment, and business strategy. The stress
tests should look beyond assumptions based only on historic data,
and incorporate new events and potential stressed scenarios.
Q52. What are the Board’s expectations regarding the
requirement in section 252.156(f)(2) of Regulation YY to set liquidity
risk limits? Is there an expectation that the limits used to manage
liquidity are established by risk management?
A52. The expectation is that firms will set liquidity risk limits
that are consistent with the established liquidity risk tolerance
for the combined U.S. operations and reflect the capital structure,
risk profile, complexity, activities, and size of the combined U.S.
operations. The risk-management function is not required to set those
limits; however, the risk-management and the independent-review function
must, at a minimum, review and assess compliance with such limits.
Q53. If the CRO is a member of a group that reviews
internal liquidity stress testing and assumptions, such as senior
management or the asset-liability committee (ALCO), does this meet
the rule requirement for CRO review? Or is the requirement for stand-alone
review by the CRO?
A53. The rule requires
that assumptions be approved by the CRO, who may be a member of senior
management. However, the assumptions must be approved by the CRO in
his or her capacity as CRO and not in any other capacity. While the
CRO can be part of the ALCO, the CRO must approve of the assumptions
in the liquidity stress testing, with such approval documented. Membership
on a group that approves the assumptions does not meet the requirement.
Q54. For the many points of oversight assigned
to the CRO for liquidity risk management, is it sufficient to have
the CRO fulfill the obligation of approval of stress test parameters,
risk limits, new products, etc. through a governance committee, such
as ALCO?
A54. Although the CRO may be part
of the ALCO, the CRO’s approval of the risk-management policies required
by Regulation YY must be documented. This obligation cannot be fulfilled
by the approval of a senior management group that does not include
a documented approval of the CRO.
Other Q55. Is there any guidance
on resolution planning and the IHC timing rules?
A55. The resolution plan filings for FBOs that are required to establish
an IHC are not affected by Regulation YY and remain governed by Regulation
QQ.