A stable, well-functioning financial market for allA stable, well-functioning financial market for allRecent news
We list here recent news from the banking sector.
2022
2022:1 Asylum seekers’ access to financial services
In this document, FI states its position on asylum-seeking refugees’ access to financial services in cases where the asylum seeker is lacking identity documents. The position replaces FI's previous memorandum (FI Ref.16-2898).
FI Analysis No. 39: Are the capital buffers fulfilling their purpose?
The minimum requirement for own funds and eligible liabilities (MREL) is designed in such a way that the banks can breach it before they breach the capital requirements. As a result, this can reduce the usability of the capital buffers. This is shown in FI’s analysis of how the capital buffers are impacted when a bank must meet both MREL and the capital requirements.
FI maintains level of systemic risk buffer for major banks
The three major banks, SEB, Handelsbanken and Swedbank, will continue to maintain a systemic risk buffer of 3 per cent at group level. This decision was made following FI’s biennial review of the systemic risk buffer in accordance with the European Capital Requirements Directive.
Länsförsäkringar Bank is issued a remark and must pay administrative fine
Länsförsäkringar Bank has been deficient in its work to prevent money laundering and terrorist financing. The bank is therefore being issued a remark and must pay an administrative fine of SEK 90 million.
FI leaves the countercyclical buffer rate unchanged
FI leaves the countercyclical buffer rate unchanged. The buffer rate of 2 per cent, which will be applied as of 22 June 2023, shall thus continue to apply. The countercyclical buffer guide is calculated at 0 per cent.
Länsförsäkringar Bank recieves a remark and must pay an administrative fine
Länsförsäkringar Bank has been deficient in its compliance with the anti-money laundering regulations. Finansinspektionen is therefore issuing Länsförsäkringar Bank a remark that will be accompanied by an administrative fine of SEK 90 million.
A strategy to prevent greenwashing
Finansinspektionen will prevent greenwashing in the financial sector through preventive measures and supervisory activities. Today, in a new report that is submitted to the government, FI presents a strategy to prevent greenwashing.
Finansinspektionen’s strategy to prevent greenwashing
FI’s strategy for preventing greenwashing in the financial sector aims to safeguard the trust in sustainable investments and a sustainable finance market.
Roadmap for sustainable finance
In 2019, FI’s overarching mandate was expanded to include a responsibility to ensure that the financial system contributes to sustainable development. FI is also the responsible supervisory authority for a number of new regulations related to sustainable finance that are the result of the EU’s ambitious sustainability agenda.
Macro-based stress tests of Swedish banks: results and method, Autumn 2022
Major Swedish banks demonstrate considerable resilience in the stress test Finansinspektionen (FI) conducted in 2022. The test identifies the potential effects on the five largest Swedish banks’ financial positions when interest rates and inflation increase. This memorandum (only available in Swedish) describes the method behind the stress test and its results.
Financial stability risks are increasing on the back of rising interest rates and a weakening economy
Rising interest rates, decreased risk-taking and a slowing economy are weighing on highly indebted commercial real estate firms and households. The rapid transition to higher interest rates and a decreased willingness to take risk means financial stability risks have increased since spring. At the same time, this transition may lead to lower risk-taking and indebtedness in the long run, thus lowering stability risks.
Stability in the Financial System (2022:2)
High inflation has led to rapidly rising interest rates. Given the current rapid change in conditions, both participants on the financial markets and borrowers need to transition quickly. In the short term, this means elevated risks and greater uncertainty. The already high risks in the commercial real estate sector have continued to increase.
Capital requirements of Swedish banks as of Q3 2022
Finansinspektionen publishes the capital requirements of the largest Swedish banks and credit institutions that belong to supervisory categories 1 and 2 as of the end of Q3 2022.
Borrower-based measures following high inflation and rising interest rates
Changing or pausing the amortisation requirements is not an accurate or appropriate measure for helping the households with the greatest need for financial support to handle their higher costs. This is the conclusion of FI’s evaluation of how the amortisation requirements impact households with lower incomes and small margins in today’s difficult economy.
Reciprocation of Norwegian systemic risk buffer
Finansinspektionen has reciprocated the Norwegian systemic risk buffer.
Funds with sustainable investment as its objective
The Swedish Financial Supervisory Authority, Finansinspektionen (FI) has conducted an in-depth analysis of how managers of funds registered in Sweden that have sustainable investment as its objective (so-called Article 9 funds) meet the requirements on sustainability-related disclosures in the pre-contractual information they must provide to investors.
Erik Thedéen: Adjustments needed on the commercial real estate market
Erik Thedéen, Director General of Finansinspektionen (FI), spoke at the Öresundsmarknaden conference about FI’s view on the commercial real estate market.
FI leaves the countercyclical buffer rate unchanged
FI leaves the countercyclical buffer rate unchanged. The buffer rate of 2 per cent, which will be applied as of 22 June 2023, shall thus continue to apply. The countercyclical buffer guide is calculated at 0 per cent.
Money remittance provider Moneygram must resolve anti-money laundering deficiencies
The foreign money remittance provider Moneygram International SPRL has not had a sufficient scope in the general risk assessment of its operations in Sweden to its assessment of the risk of being used for money laundering or terrorist financing. Therefore, FI has decided to issue an injunction to Moneygram to resolve the deficiencies by 30 December of this year.
Moneygram receives injunction to take remedial action
Moneygram International SPRL has not applied a sufficient scope to its assessment of the risks of its operations in Sweden being used for money laundering. Moneygram must resolve these deficiencies no later than 30 December 2022.
Unclear information about sustainable funds
The disclosures provided about funds with sustainable investment as their objective are often unclear. This is the conclusion of an in-depth analysis conducted by Finansinspektionen (FI). In many cases, the disclosures provided in the funds’ prospectuses need to be clearer and more specific.
Commercial real estate debt, non-banks, and the stability of the financial system
Karin Lundberg, Executive Director of Banking, FI, talked about commercial real estate debt, non-banks, and the stability of the financial system in a speech at the UBS Annual Nordic Financial Services Conference.
Capital requirements of Swedish banks as of Q2 2022
Finansinspektionen publishes the capital requirements of the largest Swedish banks and credit institutions that belong to supervisory categories 1 and 2 as of the end of Q2 2022.
Erik Thedéen: Current assessment of financial stability
FI’s Director General Erik Thedéen participated in a panel discussion on the opportunities and risks associated with increased application of artificial intelligence and machine learning within lending and advice to households. Before he described FI’s view on this topic, Thedéen commented briefly on FI’s current assessment of the stability of the Swedish financial system.
FI presents new Pillar 2 method for pension risk in credit institutions
Finansinspektionen presents here a new Pillar 2 method for assessing an additional own funds requirement for pension risk in credit institutions.
Decisions regarding reciprocation of macroprudential measures in three EU countries
Finansinspektionen has passed decisions concerning reciprocation of macroprudential measures in Lithuania, Belgium and the Netherlands.
Svea Bank receives a remark and an administrative fine
Svea Bank is being issued a remark and must pay an administrative fine of SEK 45 million.
Resurs Bank receives a remark and an administrative fine
Resurs Bank is being issued a remark and must pay an administrative fine of SEK 50 million.
The countercyclical buffer rate will be raised
FI has decided to raise the countercyclical buffer rate to 2 per cent, which is its neutral level. This was already communicated in the report Stability in the Financial Markets. Due to the 12-month implementation period, this rate will start to go into effect at the end of June 2023.
Svea Bank and Resurs Bank receive remarks for insufficient credit assessments
Svea Ekonomi, which has now merged with Svea Bank, and Resurs Bank have been deficient in their credit assessments of consumers who received large unsecured loans. Both banks are therefore receiving a remark and an administrative fine of SEK 45 million and SEK 50 million, respectively.
FI would like to see data on declined bank accounts
Finansinspektionen views seriously the complaints from consumers who have been denied a bank account, and the authority is now encouraging banks to carefully maintain data on how many people are experiencing problems opening an account. This data will give a clearer overview of the situation and help find solutions.
It is now possible to update the installed application for periodic reporting
Rapporteurs need to update the application for periodic reporting that they have installed locally. The new version is now available to download and install.
Rising interest rates put pressure on indebted households and firms
Interest rates are rising rapidly in the wake of high inflation. High interest rates and lower risk appetite are placing downward pressure on risk-taking and asset prices. In the long term, this can slow the growth of debt and benefit financial stability. However, the large debts that built up over the extended period of low interest rates are putting pressure on highly indebted households and firms.
FI intends to raise the countercyclical buffer rate to 2 per cent
Finansinspektionen (FI ) intends to raise the countercyclical buffer rate to 2 per cent in Q2 2022.
Stability in the Financial System (2022:1)
Interest rates and interest rate expectations have increased in 2022 due to high and rising inflation. One sector that is vulnerable to rising interest rates is the commercial real estate sector. FI has also noted that liquidity on the bond markets has decreased, and the functionality of the corporate bond market is once again impaired.
Nordnet Bank receives a remark and an administrative fine
Nordnet Bank is being issued a remark and must pay an administrative fine of SEK 100 million.
Nordnet receives a remark and an administrative fine
Finansinspektionen (FI) is issuing Nordnet Bank AB a remark for violations related to the bank's intraday short selling service. Nordnet must also pay an administrative fine of SEK 100 million.
Capital requirements of Swedish banks as of Q1 2022
Finansinspektionen publishes the capital requirements of the largest Swedish banks and credit institutions that belong to supervisory categories 1 and 2 as of the end of Q1 2022.
FI appoints auditor after IT incident at Swedbank
Finansinspektionen (FI) is appointing an auditor to map the IT incident that occured at Swedbank AB during the night between 28 and 29 April and resulted in incorrect balances being shown in customers’ accounts.
Discussion with banks on the right to open payment accounts
Finansinspektionen has invited several banks to a roundtable discussion on Friday, 20 May, on the right to open payment accounts. The background is that the number of complaints FI is receiving from consumers who are being denied a payment account is increasing. Some also have their accounts blocked or closed.
Increased cyber security in the finance sector is needed
The financial sector must quickly become better at preventing and handling cyber threats. Customers and society at large must be able to trust that the critical services offered by financial corporations will function even during periods of uncertainty and in the presence of threats. As commissioned by the government, Finansinspektionen (FI) therefore has proposed a number of measures to increase resilience to cyber attacks in the financial sector.
Consumer Protection Report 2022
Unsound lending practices and commission from the sale of financial instruments are the highest prioritised risks in Finansinspektionen’s (FI) consumer protection assignment for 2022.
Are banks refusing to open payment accounts for too many customers?
Are banks correct in refusing to open accounts for certain consumers? And what role do credit intermediaries play in many consumers taking large unsecured loans? These are two of the issues that Finansinspektionen (FI) will look more closely at in 2022 and that we present in this year's Consumer Protection Report.
FI Analysis No 36: Has FI’s risk weight floor had an impact on banks’ CRE lending?
In this FI Analysis, we study how the risk weight floor has impacted the banks’ lending to CRE firms using detailed lending data. The aim is to analyse whether the risk weight floor impacted the banks’ interest margins and the risk in their lending. We also investigate how the volume of bank loans and bonds to CRE firms has changed before and after the introduction of the risk weight floor.
Finansinspektionen introduces new online tool for applications
The objective of the new online tool is to facilitate and streamline the application process at FI. It should be easy to submit an application to Finansinspektionen correctly and difficult to submit an application incorrectly. It will also be possible to track an application through the different stages of FI’s processing. The first applications that can be submitted via the new online tool will be management and owner management suitability assessments, and this module is expected to be operational in the autumn.
Many households are sensitive to higher interest rates
New mortgagors took out loans that were 12 per cent larger last year than in 2020. The average loan-to-value ratio for new mortgagors rose from 307 to 327 per cent. This is the highest figure since FI started its mortgage survey. The stricter amortisation requirement has slowed rising loan-to-income ratios. The high debt means that borrowers’ personal finances are under more pressure when interest rates rise.
The Swedish Mortgage Market 2022
Swedish households continue to take increasingly larger loans. More new mortgagors than in previous years had both a high loan-to-income ratio and a high loan-to-value ratio. Higher inflation and rising interest rates mean that mortgagors have smaller margins in their personal finances. This decreases the consumption capacity at the same time as the mortgagors’ ability to repay their loan is impaired.
FI reviews sustainable funds
Demand for green and sustainable investments is increasing rapidly. This increases the risk of greenwashing, i.e. presenting organisations and products as more sustainable than what they are in reality. Finansinspektionen (FI) will therefore review that the disclosures provided about the funds classified as the most sustainable fulfil the strict requirements placed on them.
Climate-related transition risks must be given priority
The data and methods available for measuring climate-related transition risks are under development. There is a lot of work going on in this area, in the banks and in organisations at national and international level, but it is important that the banks calculate and manage these risks already today. It is no good waiting for better data and fully standardised and harmonised methods to become available. Finansinspektionen (the Swedish Financial Supervisory Authority) and the Riksbank have jointly applied the Paris Agreement Capital Transit Assessment Tool (PACTA) to measure climate-related transition risks in the banks' credit portfolios. The results show that there are transition risks that banks have to take into account.
Johanna Fager Wettergren: Social factors are important for sustainable investments
“A lot is about common sense; there isn't time to wait for the perfect solutions. This obviously applies to the climate, but it also clearly applies to social issues. Politicians may be equipped with the sharpest tools – but the financial sector has a very important role to play.”
