The Future of Financial Regulation

In light of the recent turmoil in global financial markets and criticisms of the performance of the regulatory system, Sir Howard Davies-who prior to his current appointment as Director of the London School of Economics was Chairman of the Financial Services Authority, the UK’s single financial regulator-gives a preliminary assessment of where there is a case for change in the rather complex global regulatory system. He identifies seven interesting and difficult questions for central banks and regulators concerning the financial markets upheaval: Did the Fed cause the problem? Is this a broader crisis of Anglo-Saxon capital markets? Is there a fundamental problem in the subprime mortgage market in the United States? Is there a fundamental problem with the credit ratings agencies? Do we need a new approach to liquidity? Is the UK’s regulatory system fundamentally flawed? Does the crisis reveal flaws in the international regulatory system? His answer to the latter question is a qualified yes. Improvements can be made, but the recent events have provided a vivid demonstration of the importance of a robust regulatory framework surrounding capital markets.