The financial services sector tends to define “high-net-worth individual” (HNWI) asan individual or a family possessing substantial amount of investable funds. There is no generally accepted prefixed denominationof the size of wealth that an individual must possess in order to fall within this category. However, high net worth is commonly used in terms of liquid assets exceeding a certain amount while precise figures differ by financial institution and region ...
2012 was a challenging year for Australia's loan markets. Australian loan markets were affected by continued uncertainty in global markets due to concerns over the Eurozone, the slowdown in China, a weak recovery in the US and, towards the end of the year, concerns around the US "fiscal cliff". Locally, there has been a lack of confidence among corporates, resulting in sluggish M&A activity. Certain sectors of the economy remained relatively soft, such as the retail sector ...
The FCA’s new webpage, published on 24 July 2013, will record permissions and passports granted under the AIFM Directive. The FCA is currently updating the Financial Service Register to include firms which have been granted new permissions under the Directive, as well as any associated management passports. However, in the meantime, information will be published on the webpage. For more information in respect of the Directive, please visit our AIFMD microsite ...
The Court has now issued its written decision. This provides further analysis and confirms the position that we previously reported. Parties represented The Scottish Environment Protection Agency, Scottish Natural Heritage, East Ayrshire and South Lanarkshire Councils and the Lord Advocate on behalf of the Scottish Ministers were all represented at the hearing ...
On July 2, 2013, the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia1 (the “District Court”) vacated Rule 13q-1 (the “Rule”) under the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”) ...
On July 10, 2013, the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) adopted amendments to Rule 506 of Regulation D under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, that will lift the ban on general solicitation for certain private offerings, including offerings of private fund interests (“New Rule 506(c)”). New Rule 506(c) will become effective 60 days after publication in the Federal Register ...
On July 10, 2013, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) adopted the new, much-anticipated rules that lift the ban on general solicitation and advertising in connection with certain private offerings of securities ...
Court decisions regarding company names are rare. So the recent decision of the Western Cape High Court in the case of Bloomberg’s Posterity Investments (Pty) Ltd v The Registrar of Companies and Bloomberg LLP is worth discussing. What makes company name cases interesting from an intellectual property (IP) law point of view is that they deal with issues that are very similar to the issues that are dealt with in trade mark infringement and passing-off cases ...
After the recent downturn, examiners have been placing more emphasis on reputation risk. This emphasis, however, is being applied paternalistically, in a way that is limiting legitimate transactions. I have heard of examiners advising bankers to terminate relationships with payday lenders because of reputation risk. The examiners are implicitly saying the risk of such association will so damage an institution's reputation as to jeopardize safety and soundness ...
On June 19, 2013, the West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals (“the Court” or “WVSCA”) issued an important decision that bolsters the ability of financial institutions and other defendants to enforce arbitration agreements. Credit Acceptance Corporation v. Front, Docket Nos. 11-1646, 12-0545 (W. Va. June 19, 2013), Slip Op. Spilman consumer finance attorneys were pleased to obtain this victory on the consolidated appeal of two orders denying arbitration ...
Frequently asked questions on new foreign exchange rules: What currency should be used to pay the salaries of employees in Angola?The salaries of employees who are foreign exchange residents in Angola, irrespective of the sector of activity, must be paid in Kwanzas, the national currency. When Will i start to receive my salary in Kwanzas? As of 1 July 2013, in accordance with the implementation calendar of Law 2/12 of 13 January, defined by Order no ...
On June 14, 2013, the Act respecting insurance (Quebec) (the "Act") was amended by sections 1 to 5 of An Act to amend various legislative provisions mainly concerning the financial sector. The new sections, 66.1.1 to 66.1 ...
In January 2012, the Electronic Commerce Committee of the Canadian Council of Insurance Regulators (CCIR)1 released an issue paper entitled “Electronic Commerce in Insurance Products”, through which it invited insurers and intermediaries to provide feedback on certain targeted issues respecting online insurance distribution.Many stakeholders responded; 25 submissions were sent to the CCIR ...
Recently, the Court of Québec reminded merchants of their responsibility to ensure that consumers are cognizant of important contractual clauses at the time a contract is entered into. In the case of 159191 Canada inc. (Discount Location d’autos et camions) c. Waddell1, the Court had to decide whether a clause in a two-page vehicle rental contract which excluded insurance coverage in a specific situation was valid under Québec law. FACTSThe facts of the case are as follows ...
Last fall, I wrote an article for Carolina Banker magazine excitingly titled “Bank Liability to Non-Customers in a Ponzi Scheme.” The crux of it concerns the potential liability to banks in Ponzi schemes and the precautions banks should take to mitigate that risk ...
As anticipated, on May 29, 2013, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau delivered the final version of amendments to its January 2013 Ability-to-Repay/Qualified Mortgage rules (the bureau released an early draft of the amendments when the original rule was published). For more information about the Ability-to-Pay/Qualified Mortgage rules, see our prior alerts.1 The rules, as well as the amendments, take effect on January 10, 2014 ...
On May 1, 2013, Spilman Thomas & Battle, PLLC, in conjunction with the North Carolina Bankers Association, held The Future of Community Banking Symposium in Greensboro, N.C. It was a day-long discussion of the issues facing and opportunities for community banking. Our day was highlighted by a keynote address from Congresswoman Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), who chairs the House Subcommittee on Financial Institutions and Consumer Credit ...
This is the first in a recurring series of articles examining the Dodd-Frank Act and its implications for community banks. This quarter’s selection takes a closer look at reforms related to corporate governance issues.In addition to extensive provisions affecting large and small institutions, the Dodd-Frank Act set forth certain corporate governance reforms all businesses, including community banks, need to keep in mind ...
On March 28, 2013, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (“CFTC”) issued a final order exempting specified transactions by certain regional transmission organizations (“RTO”) and independent system operators (“ISO”) from all but the general anti-fraud and anti-manipulation prohibitions of the Commodity Exchange Act (“CEA”) and related CFTC regulations promulgated thereunder (“Exemptive Order”).1 This alert outlines the Exemptive Order ...
On April 1, 2013, the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (“CFTC”) issued a final rule exempting swaps between certain affiliated entities from the clearing requirement under section 2(h)(1)(A) of the Commodity Exchange Act (“CEA”) and CFTC regulations (“Final Rule”).1 This alert outlines the rule and raises some questions as to its conditions and impact. I ...
The hacker group Anonymous announced that it, in concert with Middle East- and North Africa-based criminal hackers and cyber actors, will conduct a coordinated online attack labeled "OpUSA" against banking and government websites today, May 7. Anonymous stated that OpUSA will be a distributed denial of service (DDoS) in which websites may be defaced and legitimate users may be unable to access websites ...
Chapter 43 Philippines Rafael A Morales1 I INTRODUCTION Banks in the Philippines are classified into (1) universal banks, (2) commercial banks, (3) thrift banks, (4) rural banks, (5) cooperative banks, (6) Islamic banks, (7) government-owned banks, and (8) other banks as may be classified by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (‘BSP’) ...
Regulatory framework- 1 What are the principal governmental and regulatory policies that govern the banking sector? The government recognises the vital role of banks in providing an environment conducive to the sustained development of the country’s economy ...
Traditionally the Spanish business sector has financed its growth primarily through bank loans. However, the current restrictions on credit (derived not only from the crisis but of growing capital constraints of banks themselves) have to seek funding alternative or complementary to the bank ...
On February 1, 2013, the Supreme Court overturned a controversial decision of the Ontario Court of Appeal which granted pension beneficiaries priority over dip lenders in the context of a restructuring under the Companies' Creditors Arrangement Act ("CCAA")1. The Court of Appeal's decision led many to worry that lenders would be reticent to advance funds to restructuring debtors for fear of not being able to secure charges which would outrank all other claims ...
