Banking & Finance

FinCEN Advisory on Chinese Money Laundering Networks

FinCEN issued an advisory detailing the use of Chinese money laundering networks by Mexico-based transnational criminal organizations to launder illicit proceeds. The advisory highlights typologies and red flags to assist financial institutions in identifying and reporting suspicious activity.

Working Paper on Client Clearing, Netting Efficiency, and Pricing

The Office of Financial Research published a working paper analyzing client clearing services in centrally cleared markets. The paper, based on confidential data, demonstrates how client clearing improves netting efficiency for dealers and offers pricing advantages to clients, enhancing market access and competition.

Hedge Fund Participation in Cleared Repo and SEC Rule Readiness

The Office of Financial Research published a brief examining hedge fund participation in the cleared repo market and their readiness for the SEC Treasury clearing rule. The brief indicates hedge funds are largely operationally prepared, with balance sheet benefits for dealers being a key motivator for central clearing.

OFR Brief: Private Credit Exposures to Banks

The Office of Financial Research (OFR) published a brief on March 12, 2026, analyzing counterparty exposures between banks and private credit funds. The brief highlights that while the private credit sector's vulnerabilities appear contained, the linkages with traditional financial institutions through counterparty exposures are a key channel for risk transmission that warrants monitoring.

Cyber Outages Disrupt Repo Market, Costing $100B

A working paper published by the Office of Financial Research indicates that cyber-induced operational outages can disrupt the U.S. repurchase agreements (repo) market, potentially costing over $100 billion in funding and raising rates by over 50 basis points. The study highlights the importance of cybersecurity preparedness and institutional resilience.

Central Counterparty Management of Liquid and Prefunded Resources

The Office of Financial Research published a working paper analyzing central counterparty (CCP) resource demands. The paper presents a framework for understanding aggregate CCP resource demands, integrating various dimensions of CCP heterogeneity and empirical data. It offers reflections on CCP liquidity management, particularly concerning physically settled contracts and the implications of insufficient liquid resources.

Federal Agencies Release 2024 Small Business and Farm Lending Data

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, Federal Reserve Board, and Office of the Comptroller of the Currency have released 2024 data on small business, small farm, and community development lending. This annual disclosure is required by Community Reinvestment Act regulations.

Changes to Uniform Bank Performance Report Peer Group Definitions

The Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council (FFIEC) announced changes to the Uniform Bank Performance Report (UBPR) commercial bank peer group definitions, effective shortly after February 26, 2026. These updates are part of an ongoing review of commercial bank peer groups initiated in 2025.

UBPR Liquidity Pages Content Changes

The Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council (FFIEC) is updating the content of the Uniform Bank Performance Report's (UBPR) Liquidity & Funding and Liquidity & Investment Portfolio pages. These changes are scheduled to take effect on or shortly after February 17, 2026, as part of an ongoing review of UBPR content.

FFIEC Publishes 2024 Mortgage Lending Data

The Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council (FFIEC) has published the 2024 data on mortgage lending transactions reported under the Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA). The data includes information from 4,908 U.S. financial institutions and is available through various datasets and tools.