News Headlines - 13 September 2010

▽Announcement of Basel III bank rules - Reuters
http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE68B1W420100912
The Committee's package of reforms will increase the minimum common equity requirement from 2 percent to 4.5 percent. In addition, banks will be required to hold a capital conservation buffer of 2.5 percent to withstand future periods of stress bringing the total common equity requirements to 7 percent.

▽Bank Stocks Climb as Basel Gives Firms Eight Years to Comply - Bloomberg
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-09-13/banks-climb-as-regulators-allow-eight-years-to-meet-capital-requirements.html
Bank stocks rose worldwide as regulators gave firms more time than analysts expected to comply with stiffer capital requirements aimed at preventing future financial crises.

▽Banks get years to adjust to rules - BusinessWeek
http://www.businessweek.com/ap/financialnews/D9I78JSG3.htm
Bankers and analysts say new global rules could make less money available to lend to businesses and consumers. But they praised a decision to leave nine years before the requirements come into full force.

▽Praise for Basel, With Caveats - Wall Street Journal
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704190704575490181969997638.html
As a result, the swirling debate is whether the new rules are insufficient or onerous. The largest global banks will have to hold levels of common equity equal to at least 7% of their assets, compared with current standards of as little as roughly 2%.

▽Basel needs a firm hand and fewer delays - FT.com
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/010c0384-bf6b-11df-965a-00144feab49a.html
These transitional concerns are understandable, but a long phase-in period is unnecessary and potentially harmful. Instead, a much shorter period should be implemented, with regulators forcing banks to meet the new requirements by going to the market to raise fresh capital. If carefully managed, this approach could avoid any adverse effect on lending and the economy.