5 things regulators are doing to improve the market

The watchdogs tasked with keeping our financial institutions, and the entire market, secure and efficient have been busy. They’ve been working on several initiatives that will change the way traders trade, bankers bank, and countries run.

1. The Federal Reserve wants major financial institutions to hold more high-quality assets. The value of these assets shouldn’t take such a nosedive the next time there’s a shock to the financial system—meaning banks and insurers won’t be as prone to collapse.

2. Small-cap stocks may get a new trading system. An S.E.C pilot program is looking at whether controlling price increments for bids and asks on small-cap companies will improve market conditions for such companies.

3. The kinds of asset-backed securities that caused the 2008 crisis are now more closely watched. Financial firms will have to give investors details on borrowers’ credit record and income under a new SEC rule.

4. Taxpayers may not be the only ones holding the bag when a country needs an IMF bailout. Now, private bondholders may also shoulder some of the responsibility for a country’s recovery.

5. Canadian provinces are working towards a national securities regulator. New Brunswick and Saskatchewan are now on board with the plan, which aims to streamline regulations, but Alberta and Quebec are holdouts.

Staff

The staff of Advisor.ca have been covering news for financial advisors since 1998.