Federal Banking Regulators Finalize Liquidity Coverage Ratio

On September 3, the FDIC, the Fed, and the OCC finalized the Liquidity Coverage Ratio rule to strengthen the liquidity positions of large financial institutions. The rule will for the, first time, create a standardized minimum liquidity requirement for large and internationally active banking organizations. Each institution will be required to hold high quality, liquid assets (HQLA) such as central bank reserves and government and corporate debt that can be converted easily and quickly into cash in an amount equal to or greater than its projected cash outflows minus its projected cash inflows during a 30-day stress period. The ratio of the firm’s liquid assets to its projected net cash outflow is its “liquidity coverage ratio,” or LCR. Final Rule.