March 18, 2002 News Archive

Board Issues Summary of Final Capital Rules for Nonfinancial Equity Investments
The Board issued SR 02-4 summarizing key provisions of the new rules governing the regulatory capital treatment of equity investments in nonfinancial companies held by banks, bank holding companies, and financial holding companies. The new capital rules, which will become effective April 1, 2002, will be included in the upcoming revision of the Trading and Capital Markets Activities Manual.

FFIEC Issues Hints for Using the Online UBPR
The Federal Financial Examination Council issued a memorandum on how to access the Uniform Bank Performance Report (UBPR) online through their web site. No password is needed to access the UBPR report and the report is available to all banks at no charge. UBPR's are generally available online 35 days after the call report is filed. The December 31, 2001 report is now available.

Vice Chairman Ferguson Remarks on Managing Banking Risk
In a speech delivered at Washington and Lee University in Lexington, Virginia, Vice Chairman Roger W. Ferguson, Jr., discussed the changing nature of risk management in banking and its implications for bankers and bank supervisors. He remarked that the acceptance and the application of innovations in risk-management techniques are going to require expense and some dramatic changes in the way most large banking organizations do business. He views failure to make outlays and changes will put these banks' long-run profitability at risk, as financial transactions grow increasingly complex.