Financial system/Addendum

Selected financial institutions

Banks

The United States [1]

Bank of America[2]

J P Morgan Chase[3]

Citibank[4]

Wachovia[5]

The United Kingdom

HSBC[6]

Lloyds Banking Group[7]

Royal Bank of Scotland Group[8]

Barclays[9]

Investment managers

Goldman Sachs[10]

Bridgewater Associates[11]

Credit rating agencies

Standard and Poor's[12]

Moodys[13]

FitchRatings[14]

Stock exchanges

The New York Stock Exchange[15]

NASDAQ (The National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations)[16] is the best-known dealer market.

The London Stock Exchange[17] began operating in "Jonathan's Coffee House" in 1698. Main market, Alternative Investments Market (AIM), Professional Services Market, Specialist Funds Market.

Regulators

International

Basel Committee on Banking Supervision:[18]

United States

Federal Reserve System:[19]

Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation[20]

Office of the Comptroller of the Currency[21]

National Credit Union Administration[22]

Europe

Responsibility for financial regulation in the European Union rests with the various national authorities, have recently adopted unified regulatory procedures.

United Kingdom

Financial Services Authority (UK)[23]

Central banks

The Federal Reserve System[24]

The European Central Bank[25] since the establishment of the euro as a common currency in 1999, the European Central Bank has operated the monetary policy of the European monetary system with objective of maintaining price stability, without generating excessive fluctuations in output.

The Bank of England[26]

International institutions

The International Monetary Fund[27] was set up in 1944, mainly to provide loans to member governments in support of policies to deal with balance of payments problems. In recent years it has also devoted its resources to the strengthening of the international financial system and relieving financial crises. It also advises member governments about their economic problems and, when necessary, it grants loans to help resolve them.

The World Bank provides low-interest loans, interest-free credit and grants to developing countries, finances selected private sector projects,. guarantees foreign investors against non-commercial risks and settles disputes between foreign investors and host countries.

The Bank for International Settlements serves as the central banks’ bank and provides a forum to promote discussion and policy analysis among central bank governors and senior executives. Its committees include the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision and the Committee on the Global Financial System. It provides a home for the Financial Stability Forum.

Regulatory structures

Four types of regulatory structure have been identified[28]:

• The institutional approach, in which a firm’s legal status determines which regulator is tasked with overseeing its activity;
• The functional approach, in which supervisory oversight is determined by the business that is being transacted by the entity so that each type of business activity has its own regulator;
• The integrated approach, in which a single universal regulator conducts both safety and soundness oversight and conduct-of-business regulation for all the sectors of financial services business; and,
• The twin peaks approach, in which one regulator performs safety and soundness supervision function and the other focuses on conduct-of-business regulation.

Reform agendas

Markets in Financial Instruments Directive[29] (EU) October 2007.

Report of the Financial Stability Forum[30] April 2008.

The G30 report[31] October 2008

The G20 summits November 2008 and April 2009.

Report of the Congressional Oversight Panel[32] (US) January 2009.

Report of the de Larosière Group[33] (EU) February 2009.

Federal Reserve Board proposals[34] (US) March 2009.

The Obama plan (US) June 2009 White Paper: Financial Regulatory Reform:[35]. Fact Sheets:Requiring Strong Supervision And Appropriate Regulation Of All Financial Firms[36]; Strengthening Regulation Of Core Markets And Market Infrastructure [37];Strengthening Consumer Protection[38]; Providing The Government With Tools To Effectively Manage Failing Institutions[39]; Improving International Regulatory Standards And Cooperation[40]

Treasury and Bank of England proposals [41][42] (UK) June 2009.

Council Conclusions on Strengthening EU financial supervision[43] (EU) 9th June 2009.

Sarbanes-Oxley Act U.S. laws and regulations intended to protect against financial irregularity in public companies. (A response to major corporate failures that involved poor auditing, such as Enron and Worldcom).