Oversight On The Condition Of The Financial Services Industry

This Technical Note discusses the findings and recommendations made in the Financial Sector Assessment Program for the United States in the areas of systemic risk oversight and management. Significant steps have been taken by the U.S. authorities to reduce risks in a number of areas, but progress is most advanced in the area of banking sector resilience, and less so in other areas which play a major role in the financial system. Further actions are needed to address data gaps, resolve remaining impediments to data sharing, support coordination and consultation on prudential standards and regulations, enhance risk monitoring frameworks, and provide additional clarity on the nature and scale of identified emerging systemic threats.

This paper discusses the impact of the rapid adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) in the financial sector. It highlights the benefits these technologies bring in terms of financial deepening and efficiency, while raising concerns about its potential in widening the digital divide between advanced and developing economies. The paper advances the discussion on the impact of this technology by distilling and categorizing the unique risks that it could pose to the integrity and stability of the financial system, policy challenges, and potential regulatory approaches. The evolving nature of this technology and its application in finance means that the full extent of its strengths and weaknesses is yet to be fully understood. Given the risk of unexpected pitfalls, countries will need to strengthen prudential oversight.

This Financial System Stability Assessment paper discusses that Canada has enjoyed favorable macroeconomic outcomes over the past decades, and its vibrant financial system continues to grow robustly. However, macrofinancial vulnerabilities—notably, elevated household debt and housing market imbalances—remain substantial, posing financial stability concerns. Various parts of the financial system are directly exposed to the housing market and/or linked through housing finance. The financial system would be able to manage severe macrofinancial shocks. Major deposit-taking institutions would remain resilient, but mortgage insurers would need additional capital in a severe adverse scenario. Housing finance is broadly resilient, notwithstanding some weaknesses in the small non-prime mortgage lending segment. Although banks’ overall capital buffers are adequate, additional required capital for mortgage exposures, along with measures to increase risk-based differentiation in mortgage pricing, would be desirable. This would help ensure adequate through-the cycle buffers, improve mortgage risk-pricing, and limit procyclical effects induced by housing market corrections.

Oversight of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority : hearing before the Subcommittee on Capital Markets and Government Sponsored Enterprises of the Committee on Financial Services, U.S. House of Representatives, One Hundred Fourteenth Congress, first session, May 1, 2015.