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Europe > Switzerland

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Cover IMF Staff Country Reports
Switzerland: Financial Sector Assessment Program; Technical Note-Insurance Stress Testing
International Monetary Fund. Monetary and Capital Markets Department
Financial Sector Assessment Program; Technical Note-Insurance Stress Testing
Keywords:
ISCR; CR; investment; sovereign bond; capital; holding; bond investment; sovereign bond exposure; coverage ratio; investment holding; investment yield; low-yield environment; Insurance companies; Stress testing; Sovereign bonds; Insurance; Stocks; Global
Cover IMF Staff Country Reports
Switzerland: Financial Sector Assessment Program; Technical Note-Insurance Regulation and Supervision
International Monetary Fund. Monetary and Capital Markets Department
Financial Sector Assessment Program; Technical Note-Insurance Regulation and Supervision
Keywords:
ISCR; CR; financial market; FINMA ordinance; insurance sector; resolution procedure FINMA; FINMA coordination agreement; FINMA group supervision; FINMA staff; institutions FINMA supervise; insurance intermediary; board of directors; market value; Insurance companies; Insurance; Insurance supervision; Solvency; Legal support in revenue administration; Europe; Global
Cover IMF Working Papers
The Stabilizing Role of Net Foreign Asset Returns
Gustavo Adler
and
Mr. Daniel Garcia-Macia
With the rapid growth of countries' foreign asset and liability positions over the last two decades, financial returns on those positions ('NFA returns') have become material drivers of current accounts and net stock positions. This paper documents the relative importance of NFA return versus trade channels in driving NFA dynamics, for a sample of 52 economies over 1990-2015. While persistent trade imbalances have been a strong force leading to diverging NFA positions, NFA returns have played an important stabilizing role, mitigating NFA divergence. The stabilizing role of NFA returns primarily reflects the response of asset prices, rather than yield differentials or exchange rates. There is also evidence of heterogeneity in the speed of NFA adjustment, with emerging market economies adjusting more rapidly than advanced economies, and reserve-currency countries adjusting more slowly than others. The paper also documents the role of NFA returns as insurance against domestic and global income shocks, with a focus on reserve-currency countries.
Keywords:
WP; NFA return; net foreign assets; international investment position; valuation changes; return differential; NFA position; valuation change; NFA dynamics; Asset prices; Trade balance; Insurance; Income shocks; Exchange rates; Global
Cover IMF Staff Country Reports
Switzerland: Detailed Assessment of Observance-Insurance Core Principles
International Monetary Fund. Monetary and Capital Markets Department
This Detailed Assessment of Observance on the Insurance Core Principles on Switzerland analyzes that the insurance industry in Switzerland is well developed having among the highest insurance penetration and expenditure per capita in the world. The sector is dominated by a few players writing significant international business. The life sector is dominated by two players, responsible for 54 percent of the business and the top 10 life insurers account for 97 percent of the market. The industry has weathered the 2008 crisis well; however, the current low interest rate environment is affecting the sector. The lack of availability of Swiss government bonds to match long term liabilities of life insurers and pension funds could be a source of vulnerability. The long-term nature of the liabilities of life insurers and pension funds could in principle be matched by investment in Swiss government securities. Supervision focuses on ensuring sufficiency of liquid assets to meet policy liabilities. Policyholders have priority claims over the tied assets. In addition, robust solvency requirements ensure there is enough capital to safeguard the insurers’ financial soundness under adverse conditions.
Keywords:
ISCR; CR; financial market; risk management; parent company; insurance group; board of directors; business plan; investment strategy; balance sheet; insurance coverage; Insurance companies; Insurance; Solvency; Financial statements; Insurance supervision; Global; Europe
Cover IMF Staff Country Reports
Switzerland: Financial Sector Stability Assessment
International Monetary Fund. Monetary and Capital Markets Department
This paper discusses key findings of the Financial System Stability Assessment on Switzerland. Stress tests indicate that the Swiss banks are robust against even severe shocks. Banks have increased their capital, and the two global banks have achieved substantial deleveraging. Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority has focused on significantly improving the quality of its supervision. Real estate bubbles appear to be emerging. With monetary instruments not available, macroprudential instruments are being introduced, but so far are limited and untested. Interest rates are negative at some maturities, threatening the business models of life insurance and pension companies.
Keywords:
ISCR; CR; bank; FINMA; Switzerland; cantonal bank; capital; interest rate; bridge bank power; banking sector; bank governance; securities activity; exchange rate; bank intervention; TBTF bank; senior debt; wealth management bank; Insurance companies; Stress testing; Commercial banks; Insurance; Systemic risk; Global
Cover IMF Staff Country Reports
Switzerland: Report on Observance of Standards and Codes on the following topics: Banking Supervision, Insurance Supervision, and Securities Regulation
International Monetary Fund. Monetary and Capital Markets Department
Report on Observance of Standards and Codes on the following topics: Banking Supervision, Insurance Supervision, and Securities Regulation
Keywords:
ISCR; CR; risk management; audit firm; holding company; securities dealer; terms and conditions; Swiss authority; FINMA expectation; FINMA Insurance Bankruptcy Ordinance; enforcement power; FINMA guidance; insider trading; Swiss authorities; FINMA intervention; Insurance companies; Securities; Auditing; Insurance; External audit; Global
Cover IMF Staff Country Reports
Switzerland: Financial Sector Assessment Program: Detailed Assessment of Observance of Financial Sector Standards and Codes
International Monetary Fund
This paper discusses key findings of the detailed assessment of observance of financial sector standards and codes in Switzerland. Switzerland has a relatively unique banking sector, with a high market concentration by the two largest domestic banks. The overall assessment of the peer-review team is that Switzerland is generally in compliance with the Basel Core Principles with two exceptions where the Swiss Federal Banking Commission (SFBC) is deemed largely compliant. The two exception areas are budgetary independence and banking activities not subject to SFBC supervision.
Keywords:
ISCR; CR; monetary policy; external auditor; parent company; independent auditor; central bank; financial market; internal audit; External audit; Securities; Insurance; Auditing; Financial statements; Global; Europe
Cover IMF Staff Country Reports
Switzerland: 2009 Article IV Consultation: Staff Report; Public Information Notice on the Executive Board Discussion; and Statement by the Executive Director for Switzerland
International Monetary Fund
Switzerland is affected by the global crisis through the stock effect, the flow effect, and the trade effect. Along with a sharp contraction in exports, investments are now being postponed. Consumption has held up well so far, but as unemployment rises, household spending will lose momentum. The Swiss National Bank has appropriately loosened monetary policy, bringing the policy rates almost to zero. Maintaining financial stability will be essential for ensuring macroeconomic stability and growth in Switzerland.
Keywords:
ISCR; CR; Switzerland; introduced SNB bill; repo transaction; asset; SNB balance sheet; monetary policy stance; IMF staff projection; headline inflation; Financial sector; Income; Insurance companies; Insurance; Global; Asia and Pacific
Cover IMF Staff Country Reports
Liechtenstein: Assessment of Financial Sector Supervision and Regulation
International Monetary Fund
The financial sector in Liechtenstein provides primarily wealth-management services, including banking, trust, other fiduciary services, investment management, and life insurance. The establishment of the Financial Market Authority (FMA) as the unified, independent regulator in January 2005 is a huge step for the financial services industry. The FMA and other authorities have been successful in implementing most of the recommendations provided in the earlier 2002 IMF assessment. The authorities and the industry continue to make significant efforts to strengthen the antimoney laundering regime, though there is still work ahead.
Keywords:
ISCR; CR; Liechtenstein; FMA Act; EEA requirement; authority; asset; FMA representative; Liechtenstein regime; due diligence; EEA membership; FMA order; Anti-money laundering and combating the financing of terrorism (AML/CFT); Asset management; Insurance; Insurance companies; Europe; Global
Cover IMF Staff Country Reports
Switzerland: Financial Sector Assessment Program: Technical Note: Insurance Sector Stress Testing
International Monetary Fund
This technical note discusses key findings of the insurance sector stress tests for Switzerland. The results suggest that there are market risks inside some Swiss insurance entities that may need focused attention. In particular, a moderate correction in share and property values, with interest rates ending somewhat lower than the prior cyclical lows, could cause distress to five out of nine life insurers, two of 12 nonlife insurers, and two of nine health insurers that participated in the 2006 Swiss Solvency Test (SST) field tests.
Keywords:
ISCR; CR; insurer; life insurer; interest rate; market; health insurer; term mismatch risk; B. market risk consideration; scenario testing; market turbulence; Insurance companies; Market risk; Insurance; Stress testing; Stock markets; Global