The U.S. regulatory reforms are set to give a boost to some of the smallest U.S. banks. A number of provisions in the legislation would reduce the premiums that small banks pay to the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, exempt them from parts of the planned consumer protection agency and reduce their financial exposure to some mortgages by allowing the small banks to sell the loans to investors. (Wall Street Journal)
The Securities and Exchange Commission released for comment proposals by exchanges and the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority to expand the recent circuit breaker program to include all stocks in the Russell 1000 Index and certain exchange-traded funds. The program was approved earlier this month in response to the so-called flash crash on May 6 and applies to stocks listed in the S&P 500 Index.
Credit rating agencies have survived relatively unharmed in the U.S. regulatory reform bill, analysts say. The bill leaves intact the business model under which debt issuers pay the agencies for ratings. This structure had been criticized for creating a conflict of interest. (Reuters)
EU lawmakers and member states supported the toughest restrictions on bankers’ bonuses to date. Under legislation expected to pass the European Parliament next week, between 40% and 60% of bonuses would have to be deferred for three to five years and half the upfront bonus would have to be paid in shares or in other securities linked to the bank’s performance. The cash portion would thereby be limited to between 20% and 30%, far tighter than the limits currently used by most member states. (Financial Times)