International Accounting Standards Board (IASB)
No accounting for leverage
The Basel Committee is set to unveil proposals for a leverage ratio in December as a means of constraining the excessive growth of bank balance sheets. But risk managers warn the proposals risk creating an unlevel playing field between US and European…
When reality bites
Editor's letter
Banks' own credit risk hampers financial results
Own credit risk - the concept of including the credit risk of an institution in the measurement of the liabilities it issues - had a significant impact on banks' profits in the first half of 2009, as credit default swap (CDS) spreads referencing banks'…
Spreading fear
As credit spreads on financial institutions widened in the second half of 2008, some banks registered substantial gains on their own debt. The International Accounting Standards Board has subsequently ignited a debate over the inclusion of credit risk in…
HSBC's Green shames 'greedy and short-termist' financial pay
Daily news headlines
IASB proposes simplifying fair-value measurement
The International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) has sought to simplify its standards on fair-value measurement, bringing International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) further into line with US Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (Gaap).
Setting global standards
Accounting
Proposed replacement for IAS 39 to be released in October
The International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) will release proposals to replace IAS 39 - the accounting standard for financial instruments - in October this year.
Concerns over political influence overshadow FASB's changes to fair value
US auditors and investors are concerned that accounting standards are being dictated by politicians rather than independent standard setters.
Accounting boards: Spain's dynamic provisioning not the way forward
International accounting standard setters have warned that accounting for dynamic provisioning – rainy-day funds banks build up in good times to absorb losses in economic downturns – should not be recorded against profit and loss (P&L), as it is in Spain.
Banks win slack from FASB on fair value
The Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) has proposed amendments to fair-value accounting, which would allow financial institutions employing internal models to valuate assets and liabilities in illiquid markets.
IASB amends fair-value disclosure
The International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) has amended disclosure requirements for the fair-value measurement of financial instruments, further aligning International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) with US Generally Accepted Accounting…
SEC: fair value not to blame for financial crisis
Fair-value accounting did not play a substantial role in the downfall of large financial institutions last year, according to a report by the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) released on December 30.
Fair enough?
Fair-value accounting has been blamed for exacerbating the scale of the financial crisis, leading for calls from some politicians for it to be suspended. The accounting standards boards have rushed out clarifications on mark-to-market rules, but are they…