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Guaranteed Security
Trade finance will allow you to supply your sellers an undertaking of payment from your
financial provider. this may give suppliers the courage and peace of mind about the transaction,
knowing that maximum security is assured and can also improve the connection between the
client and also the seller.
Convenience
There are plenty of competitive advantages as a results of the convenient transaction you may
be having once you go for trade financing. it's important to grasp that after you were able to
established a credit line along with your bank, banks don't take ownership of your goods but
they will facilitate your hit the speed you wish at which you'll import products and sell them.
This features a great impact in your business growth and can help make your international
purchase easier anytime you wish it.
Conclusion
The goal of trade financing is to determine that importers and exporters, in addition as
domestic traders have all come to terms with realities surrounding the business environment.
Simply to mention, it makes business owners to own other ways of financing purchases in a
very more safer, convenient, and versatile manner considering that they’re eligible for that.
Therefore, with trade finance, buyers and sellers don’t need to worry about getting paid on
time or getting goods in good quality. Their respective financial providers will play a giant role
in this, which is why trade financing is one among the most effective ways to adopt for those
that are into international businesses.
d) Explain in detail the arguments for banking regulation.
There can be several different motives behind banking regulations. Political, distributional, and
other moral considerations are often cited as legitimate grounds for government intervention
in the sector
There are three main reasons explaining why regulations are in situ for banks.
Having a financial organization (regulation) would mitigate this risk of default given its role
because the ‘lender of last resort’. In times of need, the financial organization can supply
liquidity to banks, thus preventing the collapse.
Facing the ‘too-big-to-fail’ problem, regulators are needed to observe and restrict banking
activities that will cause such scale of banking failure.
Protection of depositors
The depositors, being the creditors of a bank are usually not well informed on the bank’s
investment activities. financial loss may emerge when banks engage in investments that are too
risky at the value of its depositors.
Having a regulator to observe banks on the behalf of depositors provides assurance and
maintains their confidence within the financial set-up. Furthermore with deposit insurance by
the govt, it protects the depositors and lessens the probability of a bank withdrawal which can
lead to the collapse of the financial set-up.
These are the explanations for regulations instead of a free banking industry. Though there are
arguments against regulations (costs, moral hazards & lack of diversification), we do see
majority of banks across the globe being regulated.
QUESTION 2
a) Discuss the benefits of dollarisation.
• Lower inflation.
• Decreased transactions costs.
• Greater openness.
• The dollarising country can save on resources that would need to be devoted to supplying
and managing its own money supply. It may also be the case that domestic authorities have
proven themselves incompetent to manage their own monetary policy.
• The dollarising country can move closer to an optimal currency area with the dollar esp.
small countries that engage in a relatively large volume of trade with and have strong economic
ties to the U.S.
QUESTION 4
a) Explain in detail the instruments available to the Central Bank it in order to
implement monetary policy.
Central banks have three main monetary policy tools: open market operations, the discount
rate, and also the reserve requirement. Most central banks even have plenty more tools at their
disposal. Here are the three primary tools and the way they work together to sustain healthy
economic process
. Open Market Operations
Open market operations are when central banks buy or sell securities. These are bought from
or sold to the country's private banks. When the financial organisation buys securities, it adds
cash to the banks' reserves. that provides them extra money to lend. When the financial
organisation sells the securities, it places them on the banks' balance sheets and reduces its
cash holdings. The bank now has less to lend. A financial organisation buys securities when it
wants expansionary monetary policy. It sells them when it executes contractionary monetary
policy
2. Reserve Requirement
The reserve requirement refers to the money banks must keep on hand overnight. They can
either keep the reserve in their vaults or at the central bank. A low reserve requirement allows
banks to lend more of their deposits. It's expansionary because it creates credit.
A high reserve requirement is contractionary. It gives banks less money to lend. It's especially
hard for small banks since they don't have as much to lend in the first place. That's why most
central banks do not impose a reserve requirement on smaller banks. Central banks rarely
change the reserve requirement because it's difficult for member banks to alter their
procedures.
The fed funds rate is maybe the foremost well-known of those tools. Here's how the fed funds
rate works. If a bank can't meet the reserve requirement, it borrows from another bank that
has excess cash. The rate of interest it pays is that the fed funds rate. the number it borrows is
named the fed fund.
The Federal Open Market Committee sets a target for the fed funds rate at its meetings.9
Central banks have several tools to form sure the speed meets that concentrate on. The Fed,
the Bank of England, and also the European financial institution pay interest on the desired
reserves and any excess reserves.10 Banks won't lend fed funds for fewer than the speed they
are receiving from the Fed for these reserves. Central banks also use open market operations
to manage the fed funds rate.
3. Discount Rate
The discount rate is that the third tool.13 it is the rate that central banks charge its members to
borrow at its discount window.14 Since it's over the fed funds rate, banks only use this if they
cannot borrow funds from other banks.Using the discount window also encompasses a stigma
attached. The financial community supposes that any bank that utilizes the discount window is
in desperate need. Only a desperate bank that's been rejected by others would use the
discount window
central bank tools work by increasing or decreasing total liquidity. That’s the quantity of capital
available to speculate or lend. it is also money and credit that buyers spend. It's technically
quite the cash supply, called M1 and M2. The M1 symbol denotes currency and check deposits.
M2 is securities industry funds, CDs, and savings accounts. Therefore, when people say that
financial organization tools affect the cash supply, they're understating the impact.
QUESTION 5
Briefly discuss the three pillars of Basel 2.
The Basel II Accord was introduced following substantial losses in the international markets
since 1992, which were attributed to poor risk management practices. The Basel II Accord
makes it mandatory for financial institutions to use standardized measurements for credit,
market risk, and operational risk. However, different levels of compliance allow financial
institutions to pursue advanced risk management approaches to free up capital for
investment.
Basel II uses a three-pillars concept:
Pillar 1 - minimum capital requirements (addressing risk)
The first pillar deals with ongoing maintenance of regulatory capital that is required to
safeguard against the three major components of risk that a bank faces - Credit Risk,
Operational Risk, and Market Risk.
Credit Risk component can be calculated in three different ways of varying degree of
sophistication, namely Standardized Approach, Foundation Internal Rating-Based (IRB)
Approach, and Advanced IRB Approach.
For Operational Risk, there are three different approaches:
Basic Indicator Approach (BIA)
Standardized Approach (STA)
Internal Measurement Approach, an advanced form of which is the Advanced Measurement
Approach (AMA)
For Market Risk, Basel II allows for Standardized and Internal approaches. The preferred
approach is Value at Risk (VaR).
As the Basel II recommendations are phased in by the banking industry, it moves from
standardized requirements to more refined and specific requirements that are tailored for
each risk category by each individual bank. The benefit for banks that do develop their own
bespoke risk measurement systems is that they are rewarded with potentially lower risk
capital requirements.
Pillar 2 - supervisory review
This is a regulatory response to the first pillar, giving regulators better 'tools' over
those
previously available. It also provides a framework for dealing with Pension Risk, Systemic Risk,
Concentration Risk, Strategic Risk, Reputational Risk, Liquidity Risk, and Legal Risk, which the
accord combines under the title of Residual Risk.
Pillar 3 - market discipline
This pillar aims to encourage market discipline by developing a set of disclosure requirements,
which allow market participants to assess key pieces of information on the scope of
application, capital, risk exposures, risk assessment processes, and hence the capital
adequacy of the institution. Market Discipline supplements regulation, as sharing of
information facilitates assessment of the bank by others (including investors, analysts,
customers, other banks, and rating agencies) which leads to good corporate governance. By
providing disclosures that are based on a common framework, the market is effectively
informed about a bank’s exposure to those risks, and provides a consistent and
understandable disclosure framework that enhances comparability. These disclosures are
required to be made at least twice a year, apart from qualitative disclosures that provide a
summary of the general risk management objectives and policies, which can be made
annually. Institutions are also required to create a formal policy on what will be disclosed and
controls around them along with the validation and frequency of these disclosures. In general,
the disclosures under Pillar 3 apply to the top consolidated level of the banking group to
which the Basel II framework applies.
Bank X board of directors consists of its CEO, CFO and 2 independent directors.
Bank Y
board of directors consists of its CEO, CFO, Chief Marketing Officer and 3
independent
directors. Finally, Bank Z consists of its CEO, CFO, Chief Operating Officer, Chief
Strategy Officer, Chief Marketing Officer, and three independent directors.
Which of the
three banks comply and not comply with Bank of Mauritius guidelines regarding
board
composition? Justify your answer.
Section 18(3) of the Banking Act 2004 provides that the board of directors of a financial
institution incorporated in Mauritius consist of at least 5 natural persons, 40 per cent of which
must be independent directors.
Bank A comprise of 5 members and 40% of its members are independent which satisfies the
first criteria of the Bank Of Mauritius guidelines.
When the Chairperson is not an independent director, the board of the financial institution
shall be composed of at least 50 per cent independent directors. Branches and subsidiaries of
foreign banks are exempted from this requirement.
Bank B consists of 6 members of which 50% are independent directors. It complies with the
Bank Of Mauritius guidelines if one of the independent director is the Chairman.
Both banks have the necessary expertise demanded by the Bank of Mauritius.
T
The guidelines from the Bank Of Mauritius are quoted below
5. In order for the board of directors to effectively oversee the affairs of a financial institution,
it must possess the necessary balance of expertise, skills, adequate knowledge of its business,
and the structure and strengths of the industry it is engaged in, as well as the legal
requirements impinging on the industry. The board members shall collectively possess
appropriate qualifications and background for proper governance of the financial institution.
6. The board has the ultimate responsibility for the safety and soundness of the financial
institution. It must oversee the institution’s business strategy, internal organisation and
governance structure, its risk management and compliance practices, and key personnel
decisions. It is essential that there be a clear demarcation of responsibilities and obligations
between the board and management. The board should be independent from management.
7. The role of the Chair of the board shall be separated from that of the Chief Executive
Officer
(CEO) as this is critical to maintaining the board’s independence as well as its ability to
execute its mandate effectively.
8. The board shall periodically conduct a self-assessment of its effectiveness as well as that of
Composition
9. Section 18(3) of the Banking Act 2004 provides that the board of directors of a financial
institution incorporated in Mauritius consist of at least 5 natural persons, 40 per cent of which
must be independent directors. The term ‘independent’ director is explained in Appendix 1.
Section 18(4)(b) requires a subsidiary of a foreign bank to have 40 per cent non-executive
directors instead of 40 per cent independent directors. Notwithstanding this provision,
subsidiaries of foreign banks conducting largely Segment A activities shall have at least one
independent director on the board and those conducting largely Segment B activities are also
encouraged to have an independent director on the board.
4
10. Subject to the prior approval of the Bank of Mauritius, a branch of a foreign bank is
strongly
encouraged to establish a local advisory board/committee to carry out the functions of a
board
as set out in the guideline. Such advisory board/committee will ideally consist of at least 3
members, with at least one independent member.
11. A director of a financial institution may serve for a maximum term of six years. This
limitation
shall not applyto:
(a) an executive director;
(b) a non-executive director of a subsidiary of a foreign bank; and
(c) a non-executive member of the local advisory board of a branch of a foreign bank.
12. Notwithstanding the term of office of six years, an outgoing director may, with the prior
approval of the Bank of Mauritius, be reappointed as director on the board of the financial
institution after having observed a cooling period of two years. However, the Bank of
Mauritius
may, where it deems it fit, approve the reappointment of a director who has not observed the
coolingperiod.
13. The Chairperson of the board of a financial institution shall be an independent or a
nonexecutive director.
14. When the Chairperson is not an independent director, the board of the financial
institution shall
be composed of at least 50 per cent independent directors. Branches and subsidiaries of
foreign
banks are exempted from this requirement.
15. The CEO of a financial institution shall be a member of the board but not its Chairperson.
QUESTION 7
State whether the following statements are true or false. No justification
needed.
[0.5 mark each]
a. The FSC is the regulator for non banking entities. True
b. The BOM regulates banking and non-bank deposit taking institutions. True
h. The Central Bank requires the bank or non-bank deposit taking institution to
have more than 40 per cent independent directors. False
i. Where the financial institution is a subsidiary of a foreign banking group of
companies, of 40 per cent non-executive directors instead of 40 per cent
independent directors shall be the composition of the board. True
j. The CEO of a financial institution shall be a member of the board but not its
Chairperson. True
k. One mandate of the Nomination and Remuneration Committee is to
recommend
to the board, candidates for board positions, including the chair of the board
and
chairs of the board committees. True
l. One mandate of the Conduct Review Committee is to approve related party
transactions. True
m. One mandate of the Conduct Review Committee is to approve the
remuneration &
compensation package of directors, senior managers and key personnel. False
n. The Chairperson of the board can also be the Chairperson of the Audit
Committee. False
o. The internal auditor of the bank or the non-bank deposit taking institution
shall report to the board and not to the audit committee. True
p. The Nomination and Remuneration Committee should discuss with senior
management and external auditors the overall results of the audit, the quality
of financial statements and any concerns raised by external auditors. False
(ii) You are an analyst and have to recommend to a wealthy client where to
invest a substantial portion of her assets between either bank A or B. Justify
your recommendation.
I would recommend bank B as although it has a lower tier 1 and tier 2 capital , it has a capital
adequacy ratio greater than Bank A.
So it will be rather safer.
QUESTION 9
Money laundering is generally accomplished in three stages that may occur as
separate
and distinct phases. They may also occur simultaneously or, more commonly,
they may
overlap. Discuss these three stages in detail.
Placement is the way toward moving grimy cash into the real economy and away from its
source. At that point, the source is escaped see or camouflaged. Money laundering abroad is
a mainstream strategy, as it moves the cash exceptionally far away from the geographical
source.
A while later, the cash moves "through monetary organizations… shops, bureau de
change
and different organizations, both local and abroad". The most reasonable establishments
are
those with without 'variable costs', including car washes and casino.
Placement of laundered cash can happen from various perspectives, including:
Cash Exchanges, through buying foreign money with unlawful continues of wrongdoing
Sneaking grimy cash across fringes in bags and placing it into a remote financial balance
Smurfing by sending modest quantities of cash to financial balances that are beneath hostile
to tax evasion detailing limits
Putting cash into seaward associations
This is the most risky stage for criminals as banks are continually searching for dodgy
installments made into accounts. Moreover, it is difficult to effectively smuggle illicit money
across outskirts, with tight airport security.
Layering is the second phase of money laundering , and it includes making the money as
difficult to identify as could be expected under the circumstances, and further moving it away
from the source. Therefore, this is frequently the most complex stage.
It is finished by layering various monetary exchanges to "cloud the audit trail and cut off
the
connection with the first crime". It for the most part implies moving cash through
numerous
nations so quick that a bank can't detect it.
Integration
The last phase of money laundering is effectively putting the 'cleaned' cash once
more into
the economy. One of the most well-known methods for coordinating the cash into the
economy is through purchasing property.
A criminal may get the illicit cash once more from what appears to be a genuine source, for
example, a vocation wage. The business will be bought by the crook, however its absolutely
impossible to tell. It will appear to be thoroughly authentic, as regularly lawbreakers permit
the cash to be burdened. On the off chance that the laundering of cash process gets to this
stage, it is extremely difficult to get.
However, note that illegal money laundering is definitely not a 3-stage process, as these steps
are broadsheet. In a genuine circumstance, covering or reordering of steps is normal. This is
so controllers or banks become much increasingly confounded.
In summary, AML consistence is vital, and all organizations should execute it. Punishments for
neglecting to forestall the laundering of cash are serious business. However, criminal acts are
progressively genuine particularly on the off chance that they fall under the Terrorism Act
2000. The demonstrations make money laundering deserving of boundless fines for
organizations and detainment for people.