Financial Stability Oversight Council
Orderly Liquidations
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
Limits on Bank Proprietary Trading
Trading of Derivative Securities
Global Bank Regulations
Key Concepts
1. Describe how the more important bank regulations have affected bank sources and uses of funds.
2. Describe why more stringent capital requirements can improve the banking system. Then, offer some
disadvantages.
3. Describe why government rescues of banks can improve the banking system. Then, offer some
disadvantages.
4. Explain the effects of the removal of regulatory barriers.
POINT/COUNTER-POINT:
Should Regulators Intervene to Take Over Weak Banks?
POINT: Yes. Intervention could turn a bank around before weak management results in failures. Bank
failures require funding from the FDIC to reimburse depositors up to the deposit insurance limit. This cost
could be avoided if the bank’s problems are corrected before it fails.
COUNTER-POINT: No. Regulators will not necessarily manage banks any better. Also, this would lead
to excessive government intervention each time a bank experienced problems. Banks would use a very
conservative management approach to avoid intervention, but this approach would not necessarily appeal
to their shareholders who want high returns on their investment.
WHO IS CORRECT? Use the Internet to learn more about this issue and then formulate your own
opinion.
ANSWER: Regulators intervene to a limited degree by periodically assessing banks and imposing some
conditions that a bank must meet if it experiences financial problems. The optimal solution is not obvious,
but different opinions will likely emerge and allow for good class discussion.