Regulatory Roundup: IMPORTANT, NOT IMMINENT

MARKET RISK: The Fed put on hold its July 1995 proposal to let banks decide for themselves how much capital to set aside for market risk. It plans to resume work on the regulation after the current interagency market-risk proposal (see "Comments Closed") is completed.

INTEREST RATE RISK: In August 1995, the Fed, FDIC, and OCC proposed a framework for measuring banks' exposure to interest rate swings; this would eventually lead to an interest rate risk capital standard. But word from within the agencies is that the capital rule is dead, although they may still add rate risk questions to call reports. Published Aug. 2. Comments were due Oct. 2.

DATA REPORTING: Nearly a year after it was proposed, a plan to let banks voluntarily collect race and sex data on owners of small businesses remains pending before the Fed. Bankers are generally critical of the proposal, claiming the data would be unreliable. But community activists are hoping two new Clinton appointees will push the Fed board to adopt the regulation, which would give the first look at who gets small-business loans. Published April 26. Comments were due June 27.

BANK POWERS: The OCC's proposal to let national banks conduct new activities through operating subsidiaries remains in limbo. The agency is awaiting the fate of a House bill repealing the Glass-Steagall Act, which would require new securities activities to be conducted in holding company subsidiaries. The OCC's plan was proposed in November 1994; comments were due in January 1995.

RECOURSE: The agencies are trying to come up with a comprehensive, credit-rating-based method for determining how much capital banks must hold against assets sold with recourse. An advance notice of proposed rulemaking was issued for comment in May 1994. Comments were due in July 1994. A more concrete proposal was expected by yearend. It could surface any time.

PREMIUM BASE: The FDIC has had pending since September 1994 an advance notice of proposed rulemaking examining different ways to assess deposit insurance premiums.

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