FSB Consults on Impact of Regulatory Reforms on Infrastructure Finance

The evaluation is the first under the FSB framework for the post-implementation evaluation of the effects of the G20 financial regulatory reforms and forms a part of the broader FSB examination of the effects of reforms on financial intermediation. It focuses on infrastructure finance that is provided in the form of corporate and project debt financing (loans and bonds), for which the financial regulatory reforms are of immediate relevance.

The report concludes that the effect of the G20 financial reforms on infrastructure finance is of a second order relative to other factors, such as the macro-financial environment, government policy, and institutional factors. For the reforms that have been largely implemented and are most relevant for this evaluation—namely, the initial Basel III capital and liquidity requirements (agreed in 2010) and over-the-counter derivatives reforms—the analysis thus far does not identify material negative effects on the provision and cost of infrastructure finance. The evaluation further finds that:

• The overall amount of infrastructure finance has grown in recent years after a temporary drop during the financial crisis. Market-based finance—mainly project and (particularly) corporate bond issuance as well as non-bank financing—has accounted for most of the growth in advanced economies in recent years.

• Lending spreads for infrastructure finance have returned to lower levels in recent years following a spike during the crisis, but remain above pre-crisis levels.

• There are differences in the provision of infrastructure finance in emerging markets and developing economies compared to advanced economies. Emerging markets and developing economies tend to rely more on bank loans, have a higher proportion of cross-border financing, and use local currency less for financing purposes.

• The reforms have contributed to shorter average maturities of infrastructure loans by global systemically important banks. This effect is not necessarily unintended, given that reducing banks’ maturity mismatch was one of the objectives of the reforms.

• While not analyzing the ex post effects of reforms on financial resilience, the evaluation has found no results to suggest that the wider benefits to the financial system from enhanced resilience do not apply in the narrower context of infrastructure finance.

• The analysis points to some substitution in recent years of bank financing by market-based financing in advanced economies and the G20 banking reforms may have been one of the drivers for this re-balancing.

Related Links

• Press Release
• Consultation Paper (PDF)

Comment Due Date: August 22, 2018

Keywords: International, Banking, Securities, Regulatory Reform, Market Based Finance, Basel III, OTC Derivatives Reform, FMI, FSB