OFR

The Office of Financial Research released a report on the potential effects that a central bank digital currency (CBDC) would have on the stability of the banking system.

The report offers a model designed to capture one of the common concerns raised regarding CBDC policy discussions: the option to hold CBDC can increase the incentive for depositors to run on weak banks.

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President Biden signed an executive order directing federal agencies to examine the legal and economic ramifications of creating a U.S. central bank digital currency (CBDC). The order sets a 180-day deadline for a series of reports on “the future of money.”

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President Donald Trump has nominated a long-time economist to be the next director of the Treasury Department’s Office of Financial Research.

If confirmed by the Senate, the new director would serve for a term of six years and become the second permanent leader of the agency since its formation.

Read on to learn more about the nominee.

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The Office of Financial Research will need a new leader as of the first of the year as OFR Director Richard Berner has decided to step down.

Berner, who was confirmed by the Senate on Jan. 1, 2013, cited family as a motivating factor in his decision to resign.

Read on to find out what Berner and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin had to say about the decision for the office’s only director to leave. 

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The Treasury Department’s recent report on asset management and insurance policy has gained favor with financial trade organizations for its recommendations to recalibrate or delay certain regulations to benefit financial markets and the economy.

A viewpoint paper published by the Office of Financial Research, around the same time, explores similar topics, eliciting similar support.

Read on to find out what aspects of both reports resonated with industry professionals. 

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The Office of Financial Research has issued a report detailing the actions regulators have taken to reduce reliance on credit ratings, the alternative rating methods currently in use and the challenges posed by these alternatives. Prior to the financial crisis, credit rating agencies had an incentive to inflate ratings to expand their businesses, a practice that contributed to an undercapitalized and fragile financial system. Read on to learn more about the three credit rating alternatives. Read on »

The Government Accountability Office has released a report stating that the Dodd-Frank Act generally left the financial regulatory structure unchanged and does not ensure efficient and effective oversight, consistent financial oversight or consistent consumer protections. The office provided three recommendations on how regulators can streamline their supervisory process. Read on to learn more. Read on »

Threats to U.S. financial stability increased in 2015 from a year earlier, the Office of Financial Research told Congress in its annual report. In addition, it said that regulatory changes to global systemically important banks appear to have reduced the perception of their competitive advantages. Read on to see what else the office had to tell Congress. Read on »

A bipartisan bill to reform the Office of Financial Research was introduced to the House Financial Services Committee. The bill will aim to improve the transparency, accountability, governance and operations of the office, among other things. The office was created by Title I of the Dodd-Frank Act to assist the Financial Stability Oversight Council with creating a more stable financial system through research. Read on for more details. Read on »

The Office of Financial Research and the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland are seeking research and policy-oriented papers for the 2015 Financial Stability Conference that will be held Dec. 3-4 in Washington, D.C. For more information about the conference topics and how to submit research papers, read on. Read on »