The Bank of England is making its stress tests harder this year, and some of Britain’s largest banks may fail under the pressure.
The seven major lenders being tested are expected to scrape past the lowest measures, but experts think Royal Bank of Scotland Group and Barclays—two key players in the global banking system—will likely fail the more strenuous thresholds, Bloomberg reports. Banks are now required to top their individual hurdle rate and to exceed a new threshold level called the systemic reference point, which considers the potential global repercussions should the lender collapse.
If a bank fails either test it will be required to boost its capital ratios, and if it fails the SRP it will be forced to take “less intensive” action in future deals. [Bloomberg]
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