TREASURY AND COMMISSION ASSESS FINANCIAL MARKET

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 BRUSSELS 000070 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS TREASURY FOR A/S LOWERY, MARK SOBEL, BILL MURDEN, ERIC MEYER STATE FOR EUR/ERA, EEB/OMA, EEB/OIA SENSITIVE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EFIN ECON EINV EUN SUBJECT: TREASURY AND COMMISSION ASSESS FINANCIAL MARKET TURMOIL ¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY. A Treasury team led by DAS Mark Sobel met on January 8 in Brussels with European Commission officials and private sector representatives separately to discuss global financial market turmoil, including the impact on the real economy and regulatory policy implications. The officials told Treasury they expect repricing of risk and credit tightening to continue for some time as banks continue to disclose subprime mortgage-related losses. The officials' worst case EU forecast from 2007 has become their baseline, but they believe they have incorporated most downside risks, noting that much of the EU economy remains strong and that they expect EU growth to slow only slightly. High oil prices may have a greater economic impact than financial turmoil due to its quick pass-through to consumers. They believe the U.S. will enter a low-growth "soft spot" for several quarters. Both sides thought securitization activity may pull back in the future. The Commission is working to fulfill October 2007 Council mandates to review transparency, asset valuation and the prudential financial supervision framework in considering long-term responses to the crisis. The goal is to deliver a package or proposals to the spring European Council meeting on March 13-14. The Treasury team also exchanged views with private sector representatives on the turmoil. END SUMMARY. ASSESSING GLOBAL FINANCIAL MARKET TURMOIL -------------- ¶2. (SBU) Mark Sobel, Treasury DAS for International Financial Issues, and Bill Murden, Director of Treasury's Office on International Banking and Securities Markets, met with officials from the European Commission's Internal Markets (DG MARKT) and Economic and Monetary Affairs (DG ECFIN) Directorates January 8 to assess global financial market turmoil, xamine its real economy impacts and discuss its regulatory implications. They were accompanied by Barbara C. Matthews, USEU Treasury Financial Attach, Lukas Kohler from Treasury's Europe Office and Econoff. The Commission fielded a team of 10, led by Elemer Tertak, DG MARKT Director for Financial Institutions, Pierre Delsaux, DG MARKT Director for Free Movement of Capital, Company Law and Corporate Governance, and Servaas DeRoose, DG ECFIN Director for Macroeconomy of the Euro Area and EMU. COMMISSION: FINANCIAL MARKET TURMOIL, AND ITS REAL ECONOMY IMPACTS, LIKELY TO CONTINUE -------------- ¶3. (SBU) Sobel opened by seeking EU views on the subprime mortgage-related financial market situation. DeRoose explained that the turmoil will continue to affect EU economies through three channels: a) impact on the U.S. economy (slow growth expected for the first quarters this year); b) decreased bank lending; and c) decreased cnsumer and commercial confidence. ¶4. (SBU) The recent oil price shock, DeRoose continued, may hurt EU economies more than the financial markets crisis. The Commission still projects EU growth above two percent for 2008, although if oil prices stay near the current $95/barrel growth will drop. John Berrigan of ECFIN explained that the Commission's 2007 worst case forecast has now become the baseline scenario for 2008. Repricing of risk and tightening of credit will continue well into the year, he added, with less lending overall. Tertak of DG MARKT noted that the housing and construction slowdown in some Member States (e.g. Spain) could adversely impact consumer behavior and GDP. The officials said they project an EU recovery to near potential growth (e.g. 2.2 percent/year) in 2009. ¶5. (SBU) Sobel responded by underscoring messages from Treasury Secretary Paulson's recent speeches. On the negative side, the U.S. housing situation will impose a penalty on U.S. growth, and it is unclear how long this will last; recent job growth numbers were low; consumption and other consumer data are mixed. On the plus side, the current account is adjusting, the fiscal deficit has dropped to 1.2 percent of GDP, and banks are mobilizing capital. In sum, Sobel said, the U.S. prognosis appears to be for very slow growth in the first half of 2008. ¶6. (SBU) Berrigan of ECFIN noted that the crisis has damaged the "originate and distribute" model of securitization. (Note: This model has produced new complex financial BRUSSELS 00000070 002 OF 003 products, including repackaged and resold mortgages, which disperse risk. Many of these assets are held "off-balance-sheet" by financial institutions. In the U.S., defaults on securitized subprime loans have been a prime factor in the current crisis, producing losses for banks which bought the loans. End note). Sobel said that upcoming Financial Stability Forum (FSF) consideration of these issues should be useful. SOVEREIGN WEALTH DEVELOPMENTS -------------- ¶7. (SBU) Tertak asked about current U.S. sentiment toward Sovereign Wealth Fund (SWF) investment. Sobel noted that the USG is actively engaged on CFIUS. He said that the G7 has asked the IMF to develop best practices on SWFs, looking at issues such as SWF transparency and governance. The USG had also encouraged the OECD to examine best practices for recipients on investment. This was all part of an effort to promote the openness of global financial flows. He added that observers recognized that recent high-profile SWF investments in Citibank and Morgan Stanley provided these institutions with needed capital. He recommended that EC officials look at the article Deputy Secretary Kimmitt had recently published in Foreign Affairs discussing related policy issues. Tertak responded that he had seen the article already. EU REGULATORY POLICY RESPONSE BEING FORMULATED -------------- ¶8. (SBU) Sobel and Murden asked the Commission to provide insight into the EU's plan for addressing the regulatory issues raised by the financial market crisis. Delsaux of DG MARKT emphasized that since the "crisis" is still underway, it is too early to draw firm conclusions, particularly on asset valuation. The Commission is examining potential regulatory steps, he said, for action later. He noted that the Commission supports the FSF's work on valuation currently underway. ¶9. (SBU) Giuseppi Siani, of DG MARKT, offered more details. He noted that the Commission is working to fulfill October 2007 European Council mandates to review transparency, asset valuation and the prudential financial supervision framework in response to the crisis. The Commission, Siani said, seeks to enhance transparency by developing a common database or portal for securitized and other assets. They are working with the European industry (particularly the European Securitization Forum) to design the portal and the categorization of counterparties and assets at an appropriately aggregated level. Their goal is to increase transparency to market participants as well as to provide greater insight into risk exposures across a broad range of counterparties in the financial system. ¶10. (SBU) Commission officials asked whether U.S. regulatory agencies (e.g., the SEC or the Federal Reserve) have or seek access to similar data. Murden responded that if anyone had the data it would be the Federal Reserve and recommended that the Commission speak with them. ¶11. (SBU) In addition, the Commission wants to ensure consistent application of valuation standards, although the officials did not specify which particular projects are aimed at achieving this goal. Finally, they are working with the Basel Committee to consider potential revisions to the Basel II regulatory framework in light of the crisis. ¶12. (SBU) DG MARKT officials emphasized that many streams of work underway predate the emergence of the crisis. They noted that there are 33 total initiatives in three general areas: a) credit markets; b) a general financial crisis management inside the EU; and c) reviewing the Lamfalussy framework to assess whether further adjustments in authorities and working arrangements among EU regulatory officials are needed. Treasury Financial Attach asked about the mood in the European Parliament toward these initiatives. Delsaux said the Parliament has been relatively silent on many questions, including the accounting and asset valuation work streams. ¶13. (SBU) DG MARKT officials said their short term goal is to prepare a package of proposals for approval by the Economic BRUSSELS 00000070 003 OF 003 and Financial Council of finance ministers (ECOFIN) in February and then presented to the Spring European Council (of EU heads of state) March 13-14. Tertak noted that the Commission wants quick progress, he said, but not at any price, and seeks to proceed at a measured pace in developing responses. ¶14. (SBU) Murden explained that the US President's Working Group is also assessing potential responses to the crisis. He noted, for example, that the SEC is reviewing the role of credit rating agencies. Murden also mentioned that the Federal Reserve issued a proposal in December to tighten underwriting standards and address predatory lending practices. SEEKING PRIVATE SECTOR VIEWS ON FINANCIAL TURMOIL -------------- -------------- ¶15. (SBU) The Treasury team concluded its short visit to Brussels with a private industry roundtable on EU regulatory and financial policy coordination. DAS Sobel and Murden heard from several banks that implementation of the Markets in Financial Instruments Directive (MIFID) is going well across the EU, that the EU banking system has shown resilience during the financial crisis, and that banks hope regulatory responses to the crisis do not restrain financial sector development. ¶16. (SBU) Banks from Spain and Germany expressed contradictory views on the treatment of asset valuation issues in the context of the crisis. Some expressed concern with the activist nature of the European Commission's efforts, but many also expressed relief that the Commission was working with the industry rather than trying to address the issues by itself. One participant expressed interest in the U.S.-EU Transatlantic Economic Council (TEC),but did not make specific recommendations. ¶17. Treasury DAS Sobel has cleared this cable. MURRAY .