At the recent International Monetary Fund (IMF) annual meetings in Washington DC, financial regulators voiced concern over fading support for strong regulations they believe to be essential to financial stability, as reported by Bloomberg's Laura Noonan.
Financial Stability Board Chair Klaas Knot emphasized that governments risk losing control over their policy agendas if financial stability is neglected. "You will spend most of your time drawing up rescue plans for an economy in free fall," Knot warned. Bank of England Governor Andrew Bailey echoed this, noting the "rear view mirror" effect as memories of the 2008 financial crisis fade, which could lead to a rollback in essential reforms.
In the US, financial regulations are already facing dilution. Major banks now face only a 9% capital buffer increase instead of the proposed 19%, following intense lobbying efforts. Regulators fear that a Trump administration, now a certainty, would further erode reforms, potentially sparking a “global regulatory row-back.”
In Europe, leaders like Poland's Pawel Korbownik advocate for reducing regulatory burdens to stimulate growth, while Deutsche Bank CEO Christian Sewing warns excessive bureaucracy could fuel populism. Regulators also fear they lack the mandate to address risks posed by non-bank financial institutions, such as hedge funds and private assets.
Sharon Donnery, Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Ireland and incoming Member of the European Central Bank's Supervisory Board, stressed the importance of global cooperation, calling financial stability a "global public good." However, UBS CEO Sergio Ermotti doubted full regulatory alignment across countries, attributing the lack of coordination to national interests, as shown by the impasse around Basel III implementation.
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