1 - REGS (fin.) Flashcards
(93 cards)
FCA and PRA creation
April 2013 - FSA2012 divided into 2 categories - FCA and PRA in response to systemic failing of the FSA during period up to and during GFC
- errors around FSA maintenance of principles based regulation of investment firms + rules based regs for UK banks
SO
PRA - took over FSA role as prudential regulator for UK banks, building socs, credit union, insurance comps and VERY large investment firms (that could give rise to systemic risk)
FCA = prudential regulation of all other firms and of how firms conduct + the conduct regulation of all financial services firms
UK regulatory structure
FSMA2000 established current regulatory regime in the UK and was then amended by FSA2012
HMT accountable to parliament
HMT responsible for financial services sector (PRA/FCA accountable to HMT)
PRA - Governmental body (part of Bank of E)
- prudential regs of banks, insurers and systemically important investment firms + supervises market infra (e.g. clearing houses but not exchanges)
FCA - Non government, funded by firms it regulates - HMT appoints board + chairman
Requires annual report
Can subject FCA to independent reviews
prudential regs of single reg firms and conduct regs of all firms
FPC
Financial policy committee - part of BofE
GOAL: Identify, monitor and take action to remove/reduce systemic risk
- secondary obj is to support economic policy of gov
- FPC and PRA both part of BofE
- sets countercyclical capital buffer + mandates regular stress testing for banks
- quarterly meetings with reports published twice a year
Meets 4x a year
Protects resilience of UK fin system
Issues biannual stability report
Issues binding instructions to PRA and FCA
MPC
Sets monetary policy to achieve2% inflation target + supports economic growth and employment
- each member has one vote and decisions are made by majority
- meet every 6 weeks
-sets base interest rates + comms likely future path of rates
- Asset purchase facility used in QE to purchase financial assets to inject liquidity
-OMO = open market ops to fine tune liquidity conditions in banking system
- 9 members
- reports to parliament and if inflation deviates >1% from target gov must right open letter explaining reasons
Roles and objectives of PRA
FSA2012
Promote safety and soundness (of PRA authorised firms)
Avoid instability
Minimise adverse effect of failure on the UK financial system + ensure firms carry out bis in a way that avoids adverse effects on system
Insurance obj: Securing appropriate degree of protection to policyholders (or potential PH)
+ minimise adverse impact that failure of insurer has on on stability of system
FCA objectives + 3 outcomes
Strategic objective
- ensuring that relevant markets function well
Operational objectives
- secure an appropriate degree of protection for consumers
- protect and enhance the integrity of the UK financial system
- promote competition in the interests of consumers
3 broad outcomes
- consumers obtain financial servs and prods that meet their needs from firms they can trust
- firms ompete effectively with interests of their consumers and integrity of the market at heart of how they run bis
- market and financial systems are sound, stable and resilient with transparent pricing info
FCA supervisory principles
Form basis of supervisory approach and compliment COBS
FORWARD LOOKING
-aims to pre-empt and address poor conduct so risk of associated harm doesnt materialise or cause significant harm to consumers
STRATEGY + BIS MODELS - assess both to indentify emerging risks and poor alignment between profit incentives + interest of consumer/well functioning market
CULTURE AND GOVERNANCE - identify what drives behaviour in firms + what’s likely to cause harm
- assess firm’s conduct risk framework, governance arrangements, and strategies to mitigate/manage potential harm to consumers
INDIV + FIRM ACCOUNTABILITY - approve and hold to account most seniors indivs whose choices/conduct has big effect on firm conduct.
- expect firms to take accountability for conduct/integrity of employees who have potential to cause harm
PROPORTIONATE AND RISK BASED - target firms whose misconduct would cause the most harm especially to vulnerable customers/important markets
TWO WAY COMMS - engage with consumers to identify issues and targe firms that may be causing harm
- engage with industry to understand market events
COORDINATED
- work closely with other regulated areas + share info to reach robust decisions
SYSTEMATIC HARM - put right systematic harm, move quickly to stop it occuring and ensure customers are redressed
FCA operational and strategic objectives
Strategic objective = ensure all relevant markets function well
Operational objectives are to:
secure an appropriate degree of protection for consumers
protect and enhance the integrity of the UK financial system
promote effective competition in the interests of consumers
Secondary objective facilitate the international competitiveness of the UK economy and its growth in the medium to long term, subject to alignment with international standards.
FCA 3 year strategy to achieve objectives - main focuses
Reducing and preventing serious harm
- tackle fin crime by increasing firm level AML reviews, leveraging data analytics to identify suspicious activities
- Market surveillance research project should enhance ability to detect market abuse
Setting and testing higher standards
- Implementation of consumer duty - now includes addressing cozzie lives
- aim is to ensure firms prioritise interests of customers and provide appropriate prods/servs
- ESG priorities are a part of this
Promoting competition and positive change
- through the Future Regulatory Framework FCA will enhance regs effectiveness +adaptability
- improved cost benefit approach for decision making
- shape digital markets to achieve good outcomes
Pre BREXIT
Powers of the EC were increasing + to cross border regulators like the ESMA
UK financial system was increasingly interconnected with the EU
Much of the UK financial services regs originated from the EU but UK was influential in creating regs @ the time
Post BREXIT much previously European regs was onshored
MiFID
Markets in Financial Instruments Directive
- was a central pillar in Euro regs of financial markets
- aim was to promote transparency, improve investor protection, and foster competition in the EU’s financial markets
- came into force 2007
- markets have changed lots since (new trading venues, high freq trading etc) - altered landscape + revealed shortcomings of MiFID
- EC undertook a review and replaced it with MiFID II
Shortcomings
- outdated with advancing tech (HFT, algo trading etc)
- allowed creation of MTFs which fragmented markets
- insufficient market surveillance and investor protection
- -inadequate transparency in OTC markets
-
MiFID II framework
- enhancing investor protection and transparency in financial markets
- conduct of business reqs for investment firms and trading venues
- increased powers of authorities, sanctions etc
- created OTFs
- limited dark pool trading,
- increased cost transparency
- increased investor protections
+ MiFIR = set our reqs for trade transparency, mandatory trading of derivs on organised venues and increased powers of euro regulators
Who falls under MiFID
Depends on the nature of regulated activities a firm has in their part 4A permissions
- usually includes wealth managers as they provide investment service in relation to financial instruments
- also ccredit instits (banks that offer investment services)
- trading venues
Under article 3 of MiFID some financial advisors were exempt but article 3 firms are subject to a number of reqs derived from MiFID II
What threshold conditions must firms satisfy for part 4A permission
CLASS
Capable of being regulated by FCA
Location of offices (UK head office)
Appropriate Resources
Sustainable Business model
Suitability (fitness and propriety of management)
PRIIPS (packaged retail an insurance-based investment prods) - who is she?
intended to cover all packaged, publicly marketed financial products that have exposure to underlying assets—stocks, bonds, etc.—that provide a return over time, and have an element of risk.
baso all packaged retail investment products marketted in the EU
PRIIP = an investment where the amount repayable to the retail investor is subject to fluctuations because of exposure to reference values or to the performance of one or more assets that are not directly purchased by the retail investor
an insurance-based investment product which offers a maturity or surrender value that is wholly or partially exposed, directly or indirectly, to market fluctuations
Insurance-based investment product – an insurance product which offers a maturity or surrender
value that is wholly or partially exposed, directly or indirectly, to market fluctuations.
4 typical categories
- investment fund
- insurance based investment product
- retail structured securities
- structured term deposits
PRIIP regs
- brough in requirement for a KID (standardized key information document) + publish on website
must contain following info in sections
- what is this prod
- what are risks and what could return be
- what happens if manufacturer cant pay ou t
- what are costs
- how long should I hold and can I take money out early
- how can I complain
- other relevant info
FSCS
Financial Services Compensation Scheme
-protects customers when authorised financial services firms fail
- protection of up to 85k per depositor per institution
- if auth firm becomes insolvent or this becomes likely - customers can claim via FSCS up to limit
FOS
Financial Ombudsman Service
- Agency to deal with disputes between consumers and firms
- independent arbitration of disputes
CMA
Competition and Markets Authority
- responsible for promoting competition and preventing anti-competitive practices to protect consumers and ensure fair business practices.
- took over role/functions previously carried out by Competition commission and office of fair trading
- principle competition regulator in the UK
- FCA will pass a case to the CMA if it feels it is better placed to take action
TPR
The pensions regulator
- UK reg of work based pension schemes
- ensure those responsible for work based pensions (trustees, pension specialist, advisors etc) fulfil their obligations)
- Safeguard the benefits of members in occupational pension schemes.Enforce compliance with employer auto-enrollment duties.
- Minimize calls on the PPF by overseeing defined benefit schemes.
- Encourage high standards of administration and governance in pension schemes.
Upper Tribunal
Upper tribunal of tax and chancery chamber = agency of ministry of justice
- aims to assist those who wish to appeal against decisions made by the FCA/PRA/TPR
a first tier tribunal in tax/charity cases
HMRC
Resp for rules around eligibility and permissible investments in ISAs/pensions
- resp for collectng wide variety of taxes
- customs and border control
- Responsible for benefit and credit payments
-
ICO
Information commissioners office
- independent body for upholding info rights
- entails promoting access to official info and protecting people’s personal data
- responsible for administering provisions of data protections regs including GDPR and freedom of info act
Authorization
Undertaking regulated activites requires auth in the UK - criminal activity to undertake activities without authorisation or when subject to exemptions
- 2yr jail or unlimited fine
Exempt persons include RIE, RCH, CBs, Appointed Reps (tho FCA doesnt like thesE)