List of bank stress tests

This list covers formal bank stress testing programs, as implemented by major regulators worldwide. It does not cover bank proprietary, internal testing programs.

Regulators devise hypothetical future adverse economic scenarios to test banks. These established scenarios are then given to the banks in their jurisdiction and tests are run, under the close supervision of the regulator. They evaluate if the bank could endure the given adverse economic scenario, survive in business, and most importantly, continue to actively lend to households and business. If it is calculated that the bank can absorb the loss, and still meet the minimum bank capital requirements to remain in active business, they are deemed to have passed.

For example, in the U.S. in 2012, an adverse scenario used in stress testing was all of the following:

• Unemployment at 13 percent
• 50 percent drop in equity prices
• 21 percent decline in housing prices.

Asia

• International Monetary Fund
  • 2011 and 2012 stress testing of Japan banks, Financial System Stability Assessment Update (FSAP)
• China Banking Regulatory Commission
  • 2011 CARPLES risk indicators framework

Europe

• Financial Services Authority
  • 2008 Stress and scenario testing CP08/24
  • 2009 Stress and Scenario Testing Feedback on CP08/24
• European Banking Authority
  • 2010 European Union bank stress test
  • 2011 European Union bank stress test

Americas

• Federal Reserve System
  • 2009 Supervisory Capital Assessment Program (SCAP)
  • Note: there was no 2010 stress test in the USA
  • 2011 Comprehensive Capital Assessment Review (CCAR)
  • 2012 Comprehensive Capital Assessment Review (CCAR)
  • 2013 Comprehensive Capital Assessment Review (CCAR)
    • Note: 2013 US bank stress test results have been released. stress test results
    • A private conference call was held with banks to notify them of a new, two part information release by the Fed [Dow Jones]
      • March 7, 2013 - Banks will be privately notified of the FED's tentative decision on capital distribution plans.
      • Banks receiving a "no" will then have a 48 hours to privately resubmit to the Fed a reduced a distribution plan.
      • March 14, 2013 - the Fed will publicly disclose final decisions on requests for capital distributions
      • The week of private negotiations between the bank and the Fed will allow banks to adjust their request downward to what the Fed will allow. This was specifically designed to allow banks to avoid "embarrassing capital-plan rejections"
      • Shareholder lawsuits are expected if banks fail to disclose capital distribution plans and FED rejections (even if labeled "informal") as the majority of shareholders and prospective shareholders regard bank dividend and share buyback plans, and limits, to be extremely material information.
      • Banks may not follow FED advice and release capital distribution plans in advance of March 14. [Bloomberg]

See also

• Bank regulation
• Basel III
• Stress test (financial)
• Systemically important financial institution
• List of systemically important banks