Title 12

SECTION 1277.5

1277.5 Market risk capital requirement.

§ 1277.5 Market risk capital requirement.

(a) General requirement. (1) Each Bank's market risk capital requirement shall equal the market value of the Bank's portfolio at risk from movements in interest rates, foreign exchange rates, commodity prices, and equity prices that could occur during periods of market stress, where the market value of the Bank's portfolio at risk is determined using an internal market-risk model that fulfills the requirements of paragraph (b) of this section and that has been approved by FHFA.

(2) A Bank may substitute an internal cash-flow model to derive a market risk capital requirement in place of that calculated using an internal market-risk model under paragraph (a)(1) of this section, provided that:

(i) The Bank obtains FHFA approval of the internal cash-flow model and of the assumptions to be applied to the model; and

(ii) The Bank demonstrates to FHFA that the internal cash-flow model subjects the Bank's assets and liabilities, off-balance sheet items, and derivative contracts, including related options, to a comparable degree of stress for such factors as will be required for an internal market-risk model.

(b) Measurement of market value-at-risk under a Bank's internal market-risk model. (1) Except as provided under paragraph (a)(2) of this section, each Bank shall use an internal market-risk model that estimates the market value of the Bank's assets and liabilities, off-balance sheet items, and derivative contracts, including any related options, and measures the market value of the Bank's portfolio at risk of its assets and liabilities, off-balance sheet items, and derivative contracts, including related options, from all sources of the Bank's market risks, except that the Bank's model need only incorporate those risks that are material.

(2) The Bank's internal market-risk model may use any generally accepted measurement technique, such as variance-covariance models, historical simulations, or Monte Carlo simulations, for estimating the market value of the Bank's portfolio at risk, provided that any measurement technique used must cover the Bank's material risks.

(3) The measures of the market value of the Bank's portfolio at risk shall include the risks arising from the non-linear price characteristics of options and the sensitivity of the market value of options to changes in the volatility of the options' underlying rates or prices.

(4) The Bank's internal market-risk model shall use interest rate and market price scenarios for estimating the market value of the Bank's portfolio at risk, but at a minimum:

(i) The Bank's internal market-risk model shall provide an estimate of the market value of the Bank's portfolio at risk such that the probability of a loss greater than that estimated shall be no more than one percent;

(ii) The Bank's internal market-risk model shall incorporate scenarios that reflect changes in interest rates, interest rate volatility, option-adjusted spreads, and shape of the yield curve, and changes in market prices, equivalent to those that have been observed over 120-business day periods of market stress. For interest rates, the relevant historical observations should be drawn from the period that starts at the end of the previous month and goes back to the beginning of 1998;

(iii) The total number of, and specific historical observations identified by the Bank as, stress scenarios shall be:

(A) Satisfactory to FHFA;

(B) Representative of the periods of the greatest potential market stress given the Bank's portfolio; and

(iv) The measure of the market value of the Bank's portfolio at risk may incorporate empirical correlations among interest rates.

(5) For any consolidated obligations denominated in a currency other than U.S. Dollars or linked to equity or commodity prices, each Bank shall, in addition to fulfilling the criteria of paragraph (b)(4) of this section, calculate an estimate of the market value of its portfolio at risk resulting from material foreign exchange, equity price or commodity price risk, such that, at a minimum:

(i) The probability of a loss greater than that estimated shall not exceed one percent;

(ii) The scenarios reflect changes in foreign exchange, equity, or commodity market prices that have been observed over 120-business day periods of market stress, as determined using historical data that is from an appropriate period;

(iii) The total number of, and specific historical observations identified by the Bank as, stress scenarios shall be:

(A) Satisfactory to FHFA;

(B) Representative of the periods of the greatest potential stress given the Bank's portfolio; and

(iv) The measure of the market value of the Bank's portfolio at risk may incorporate empirical correlations within or among foreign exchange rates, equity prices, or commodity prices.

(c) Independent validation of Bank internal market-risk model or internal cash-flow model. (1) Each Bank shall conduct an independent validation of its internal market-risk model or internal cash-flow model within the Bank that is carried out by personnel not reporting to the business line responsible for conducting business transactions for the Bank. Alternatively, the Bank may obtain independent validation by an outside party qualified to make such determinations. Validations shall be done periodically, commensurate with the risk associated with the use of the model, or as frequently as required by FHFA.

(2) The results of such independent validations shall be reviewed by the Bank's board of directors and provided promptly to FHFA.

(d) FHFA approval of Bank internal market-risk model or internal cash-flow model. (1) Each Bank shall obtain FHFA approval of an internal market-risk model or an internal cash-flow model, including subsequent material adjustments to the model made by the Bank, prior to the use of any model. Each Bank shall make such adjustments to its model as may be directed by FHFA.

(2) A model and any material adjustments to such model that were approved by FHFA or the Federal Housing Finance Board shall be deemed to meet the requirements of paragraph (d)(1) of this section, unless such approval is revoked or amended by FHFA.

(e) Frequency of calculations. Each Bank shall perform any calculations or estimates required under this section at least quarterly, unless otherwise directed by FHFA, using the assets, liabilities, and off-balance sheet items (including derivative contracts and options) held by the Bank, and if applicable, the values of any such holdings, as of the close of business of the last business day of the calendar period for which the market risk capital requirement is being calculated.