8.2.3.4 Ratings Downgrade

This assumption supports both rating based and notch based downgrade. These downgrades are specified for each legal entity within the bank’s organization structure. This can come from multiple sources such as Moody’s, S&P and can be both short term and long term or a combination thereof. Since these rating downgrades are defined at a legal entity level, legal entity is a mandatory dimension for this assumption. If the downgrade is same across all legal entities, no individual legal entity is required to be selected.

For some financing transactions or derivatives with embedded triggers for downgrade, a downgrade of the bank’s rating by a recognized credit rating institution requires the bank to post additional collateral. This will result in an increase in cash outflow for all the accounts that are triggered based on the corresponding downgrade impact amount and downgrade impact value specified by the bank. The downgrade trigger and the corresponding downgrade impact amount are available as part of the account information. For calculation of downgrade impact amount refer to the OFS Liquidity Risk Regulatory Calculations for US Federal Reserve User Guide Release 8.0.8.0.0 on OHC Documentation Library, Modified Liquidity Coverage Ratio Calculations, section Other Calculations.

Note:

The assumption specification and computation method for this sub category corresponds to that available as part of the Additional Collateral - Rating Downgrade Cash Flow Increase assumption type. This assumption is renamed as Ratings Downgrade in this version.

See Defining a New Business Assumption, for information on the steps involved in specifying this assumption.

The steps involved in applying the delay in cash flow timing assumption to cash flows are as follows:

  1. Identify the original time bucket and calculate the cash outflow occurring in it due to the assumption.
  2. Identify the corresponding revised time buckets and the cash inflow occurring in it, including penalties, if any.
  3. If time specific or critical obligation, record the delay and indicate a breach.

    Cash flow assignment is done in the following manner:


    cash flow

    The following example illustrates the impact of a notch based downgrade. Suppose legal entity 1 has 3 accounts whose downgrade triggers are specified as follows:

    Table 7-21 Impact of a notch based downgrade

    Account Rating Type Rating Source Downgrade Trigger Trigger Type Impact Amount
    Account 1 Short Term Moody’s P-3 And 1000000
    Long Term Moody’s A3 Or
    Long Term S&P A-
    Account 2 Short Term Moody’s P-2 And 250000
    Long Term S&P BBB+
    Account 3 Short Term Internal A-3 Or 3000000
    Long Term Moody’s Baa2
    Account 4 Long Term Moody’s Baa1 750000
    Account 5 Short Term Moody’s P-2 1250000

    The downgrade assumption is specified as follows:

    Table 7-22 Downgrade assumption

    Rating Type Rating Source Downgrade Trigger Impact % Time Bucket
    Short Term Moody’s 2-Notches 100% 7 Days
    Long Term Moody’s 3-Notches

    The new rating post downgrade is assessed as follows:

    Table 7-23 New rating post downgrade

    Rating Type Rating Source Current Rating Rating post Downgrade
    Short Term Moody’s P-1

    P-3

    [= P-1 – 2 Notches]

    Long Term Moody’s Aa3

    A3

    [= Aa3 – 3 Notches]

    The impact of the downgrade assumption, considering weekly time buckets, is calculated as follows:

    Table 7-24 Incremental Cash Flow - Ratings Downgrade

    Account Applicability of Assumption Reason Cash Outflow / Encumbrance Outflow Bucket
    Account 1 Applicable Both parts of the first condition are fulfilled. The second condition is Or, hence not required to be fulfilled if the first one is.

    1000000

    [=1000000*100%]

    5 – 5 Week

    [=(7+15 Days)/5 Business Days]

    Account 2 Not Applicable The second part of the condition is not fulfilled.
    Account 3 Not Applicable Either of the conditions is not fulfilled.
    Account 4 Not Applicable The condition is not fulfilled
    Account 5 Applicable The condition is fulfilled as the quantum of downgrade specified as part of the assumption is greater than the downgrade trigger set for this instrument.

    1250000

    [=1250000*100%]

    3 – 3 Week

    [=(7+5 Days)/5 Business Days]

    The total impact of this assumption is a cash outflow or asset encumbrance of 2250000.