Finance, business and the crisis

Finance, business and the crisis

The global economic crisis has affected families and communities across the planet. Restoring stability, confidence and growth is a priority. The Directorate for Financial and Enterprise Affairs (DAF) focuses on helping governments to improve the domestic and global policies that affect business and markets. We identify policies and best practices designed to keep markets open, competitive and sustainable while combating market abuses and economic crime through international co-operation. This page provides an overview of our response to the crisis in several key domains.
The EU Stress Test and sovereign debt exposures, August 2010 - A summary of the recently completed EU stress test for banks and, using new data on bank exposures to sovereign debt, an appraisal of the way the tests have treated the sovereign debt crisis.
Government-guaranteed bank bonds and the financial crisis, July 2010 - Government-guaranteed bank bonds have been an effective tool in avoiding the worst during the financial crisis. However, the pricing of the guarantees has created competitive distortions and the continued availability of such guarantees into 2010 may have reduced the pressure on some banks to address their weaknesses.
Thinking beyond Basel III - Necessary solutions for capital and liquidity, May 2010 - Basel III proposes financial reforms regarding capital and liquidity requirements which aim to strengthen the banking sector and help to avoid crisis in the future. This article analyses the strengths and weaknesses of the Basel III proposals, draws implications for the financial reform process and proposes further necessary solutions.

The impact of the financial crisis on the insurance sector, April 2010 - This report presents statistics which clarify the nature of the impact of the crisis on the insurance sector in OECD countries, reviews governmental and supervisory responses to the crisis and identifies policy and regulatory issues. It proposes policy conclusions which aim to promote financial stability and enhance the protection of policyholders.
OECD, WTO and UNCTAD renew calls to G20 to resist protectionism, March 2010 - OECD, WTO and UNCTAD have called on the leaders of the G20 countries to resist protectionism or the prospects for economic recovery may be wiped out. Their second combined report on G20 Trade and Investment Measures finds that most G20 members are holding to their commitments to open trade and investment in the wake of the global economic crisis.