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UK banking sector 'more stable' UK banking sector 'more stable'
(about 21 hours later)
The UK's financial system has become "significantly more stable over the past six months", the Bank of England has reported.The UK's financial system has become "significantly more stable over the past six months", the Bank of England has reported.
It said the situation had improved on the back of its efforts to assist the sector, such as its quantitative easing (QE) programme and 0.5% interest rates.It said the situation had improved on the back of its efforts to assist the sector, such as its quantitative easing (QE) programme and 0.5% interest rates.
However, it said the commercial banks still had to do more to improve their long-term stability.However, it said the commercial banks still had to do more to improve their long-term stability.
The Bank is spending £200bn under QE to boost lending in the banking sector.The Bank is spending £200bn under QE to boost lending in the banking sector.
The Bank is using new money to buy assets from banks and other companies, in order to stimulate both bank lending and the wider economy in general.The Bank is using new money to buy assets from banks and other companies, in order to stimulate both bank lending and the wider economy in general.
Increased profitsIncreased profits
The Bank's comments have come in the latest edition of its bi-annual Financial Stability Report, which puts across its current assessment of the strength of the financial sector and ways to improve it in the future.The Bank's comments have come in the latest edition of its bi-annual Financial Stability Report, which puts across its current assessment of the strength of the financial sector and ways to improve it in the future.
It said that over the past six months, banks had been able to increase their profits, reduce concerns about potential future losses and raise further external capital - thereby reducing their reliance upon short-term funding.It said that over the past six months, banks had been able to increase their profits, reduce concerns about potential future losses and raise further external capital - thereby reducing their reliance upon short-term funding.
However, it cautioned that the banks would still need further time to recover from the crisis in the financial system, and that in the meantime, they "remain vulnerable to the risk of less than expected economic recovery".However, it cautioned that the banks would still need further time to recover from the crisis in the financial system, and that in the meantime, they "remain vulnerable to the risk of less than expected economic recovery".
With banking sector profits now "relatively buoyant" again, the Bank said the commercial lenders should "take opportunities to strengthen their balance sheets, including by not distributing an excessive amount of profit".With banking sector profits now "relatively buoyant" again, the Bank said the commercial lenders should "take opportunities to strengthen their balance sheets, including by not distributing an excessive amount of profit".
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It added that the root cause of the crisis in the global financial sector over the past year had been "excessive risk-taking in the upswing of the credit cycle and insufficient resilience in the subsequent downturn".It added that the root cause of the crisis in the global financial sector over the past year had been "excessive risk-taking in the upswing of the credit cycle and insufficient resilience in the subsequent downturn".
The Bank said these two factors had to be tackled to prevent a similar crisis happening again in the future.The Bank said these two factors had to be tackled to prevent a similar crisis happening again in the future.
Tighter regulationTighter regulation
Its comments come as the government's Financial Services Bill is making its way through parliament.Its comments come as the government's Financial Services Bill is making its way through parliament.
The bill's aim is to give the City watchdog, the Financial Services Authority, more powers to regulate banks, such as the authority to stop bankers from receiving excessive bonuses, and to cancel any pay packages which appear to reward undue risk-taking.The bill's aim is to give the City watchdog, the Financial Services Authority, more powers to regulate banks, such as the authority to stop bankers from receiving excessive bonuses, and to cancel any pay packages which appear to reward undue risk-taking.

Quantitative Easing

First, with the permission of the Treasury, the Bank of England creates lots of money. It does this by just crediting its own bank account. It plans to have created £200bn in this way by early 2010.
The Bank of England then spends the cash, mainly on buying government bonds from other banks, although it has also spent some of it on buying bonds issued by big companies.
The idea is that the banks will take that money and lend it to companies and individuals. They in turn will spend the money on things like expanding their businesses or buying new homes, which boost the economy.
Theoretically, when the economy has recovered, the Bank of England sells the bonds it has bought back to the banks and destroys the cash it receives. That means in the long term there has been no extra cash created.
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Quantitative Easing

First, with the permission of the Treasury, the Bank of England creates lots of money. It does this by just crediting its own bank account. It plans to have created £200bn in this way by early 2010.
The Bank of England then spends the cash, mainly on buying government bonds from other banks, although it has also spent some of it on buying bonds issued by big companies.
The idea is that the banks will take that money and lend it to companies and individuals. They in turn will spend the money on things like expanding their businesses or buying new homes, which boost the economy.
Theoretically, when the economy has recovered, the Bank of England sells the bonds it has bought back to the banks and destroys the cash it receives. That means in the long term there has been no extra cash created.
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The bill also calls for a new Council for Financial Stability, which is intended to consist of Treasury, Bank of England and FSA officials.The bill also calls for a new Council for Financial Stability, which is intended to consist of Treasury, Bank of England and FSA officials.
It would have the job of analysing risks in the financial sector, to ensure that the recent financial crisis is not repeated.It would have the job of analysing risks in the financial sector, to ensure that the recent financial crisis is not repeated.
Bonus limitsBonus limits
The Financial Services Bill also requires major banks and other important financial firms to hold larger capital reserves and to prepare so-called "living wills" to ensure they could be wound up in the case of failure, without putting the entire financial system at risk.The Financial Services Bill also requires major banks and other important financial firms to hold larger capital reserves and to prepare so-called "living wills" to ensure they could be wound up in the case of failure, without putting the entire financial system at risk.
The bill will also include the FSA's new regulations covering banks, which were unveiled in August.The bill will also include the FSA's new regulations covering banks, which were unveiled in August.
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Under the code - due to take effect from January - bonuses should not be guaranteed for more than a year.Under the code - due to take effect from January - bonuses should not be guaranteed for more than a year.
Senior employees should have their bonuses spread over three years under the code.Senior employees should have their bonuses spread over three years under the code.
The rules are aimed at linking pay more closely with the long-term profitability of banks, as well as addressing concerns that big bonuses led to excessive risk-taking which contributed to the financial crisis.The rules are aimed at linking pay more closely with the long-term profitability of banks, as well as addressing concerns that big bonuses led to excessive risk-taking which contributed to the financial crisis.
The new bill adds to these rules by giving the FSA the power to stop excessive payments and to cancel any pay packages which appear to reward undue risk-taking.The new bill adds to these rules by giving the FSA the power to stop excessive payments and to cancel any pay packages which appear to reward undue risk-taking.
The government has also introduced a new one-off 50% tax on bank bonuses over £25,000 to apply to bonuses paid between now and April 2010.The government has also introduced a new one-off 50% tax on bank bonuses over £25,000 to apply to bonuses paid between now and April 2010.