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ECONOMIC REPORT OF THE PRESIDENT

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C H A P T E R 6<br />

STRENG<strong>THE</strong>NING <strong>THE</strong><br />

FINANCIAL SYSTEM<br />

Introduction<br />

The financial system plays an important role in any modern economy,<br />

providing key services that not only match savers with borrowers but<br />

also provide services that facilitate such economic activity as safekeeping<br />

of financial assets and payment processing. While the markets for financial<br />

services generally succeed in providing these services, there are situations in<br />

which financial markets do not function well; referred to as market failures.<br />

Due to the existence of market failures, regulation plays an important role<br />

in helping to ensure that financial service providers continue to effectively<br />

provide necessary services to the economy.<br />

The 2008-09 financial crisis highlighted several such market failures.<br />

Responding quickly, the President, Congress, and regulators addressed<br />

these failures by adopting necessary reforms to the financial system. These<br />

measures were designed to address three areas of concern: (1) increasing<br />

the safety and soundness of individual financial institutions; (2) identifying<br />

and mitigating sources of systemic risk – the risk that a threat to one firm<br />

or small number of firms could incite widespread panic in financial markets<br />

and threaten the entire financial system; and (3) improving transparency,<br />

accountability, and protections for consumers and investors.<br />

During the Obama Administration, the passage and implementation<br />

of financial reform has worked to address these issues with measurable<br />

impact on the safety and soundness of financial markets. Although there is<br />

still work to be done, considerable progress is evident. The financial system<br />

in 2016 is more durable and able to perform its necessary and important<br />

functions without undue risk.<br />

The reforms involved a substantial reshaping of the financial regulatory<br />

landscape in the United States. Rules were changed to make banks<br />

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