17 C.F.R. § 255 app A to Part 255
I. Purpose
a. This appendix sets forth reporting and recordkeeping requirements that certain banking entities must satisfy in connection with the restrictions on proprietary trading set forth in subpart B ("proprietary trading restrictions"). Pursuant to § 255.20(d) , this appendix applies to a banking entity that, together with its affiliates and subsidiaries, has significant trading assets and liabilities. These entities are required to
(i) furnish periodic reports to the SEC regarding a variety of quantitative measurements of their covered trading activities, which vary depending on the scope and size of covered trading activities, and
(ii) create and maintain records documenting the preparation and content of these reports. The requirements of this appendix must be incorporated into the banking entity's internal compliance program under § 255.20 .
b. The purpose of this appendix is to assist banking entities and the SEC in:
(1) Better understanding and evaluating the scope, type, and profile of the banking entity's covered trading activities;
(2) Monitoring the banking entity's covered trading activities;
(3) Identifying covered trading activities that warrant further review or examination by the banking entity to verify compliance with the proprietary trading restrictions;
(4) Evaluating whether the covered trading activities of trading desks engaged in market making-related activities subject to § 255.4(b) are consistent with the requirements governing permitted market making-related activities;
(5) Evaluating whether the covered trading activities of trading desks that are engaged in permitted trading activity subject to § 255.4 , § 255.5 , or § 255.6(a) and (b) (i.e., underwriting and market making-related activity, risk-mitigating hedging, or trading in certain government obligations) are consistent with the requirement that such activity not result, directly or indirectly, in a material exposure to high-risk assets or high-risk trading strategies;
(6) Identifying the profile of particular covered trading activities of the banking entity, and the individual trading desks of the banking entity, to help establish the appropriate frequency and scope of examination by SEC of such activities; and
(7) Assessing and addressing the risks associated with the banking entity's covered trading activities.
c. Information that must be furnished pursuant to this appendix is not intended to serve as a dispositive tool for the identification of permissible or impermissible activities.
d. In addition to the quantitative measurements required in this appendix, a banking entity may need to develop and implement other quantitative measurements in order to effectively monitor its covered trading activities for compliance with section 13 of the BHC Act and this part and to have an effective compliance program, as required by § 255.20 . The effectiveness of particular quantitative measurements may differ based on the profile of the banking entity's businesses in general and, more specifically, of the particular trading desk, including types of instruments traded, trading activities and strategies, and history and experience (e.g., whether the trading desk is an established, successful market maker or a new entrant to a competitive market). In all cases, banking entities must ensure that they have robust measures in place to identify and monitor the risks taken in their trading activities, to ensure that the activities are within risk tolerances established by the banking entity, and to monitor and examine for compliance with the proprietary trading restrictions in this part.
e. On an ongoing basis, banking entities must carefully monitor, review, and evaluate all furnished quantitative measurements, as well as any others that they choose to utilize in order to maintain compliance with section 13 of the BHC Act and this part. All measurement results that indicate a heightened risk of impermissible proprietary trading, including with respect to otherwise-permitted activities under §§ 255.4 through 255.6(a) and (b) , or that result in a material exposure to high-risk assets or high-risk trading strategies, must be escalated within the banking entity for review, further analysis, explanation to SEC, and remediation, where appropriate. The quantitative measurements discussed in this appendix should be helpful to banking entities in identifying and managing the risks related to their covered trading activities.
II. Definitions
The terms used in this appendix have the same meanings as set forth in §§ 255.2 and 255.3 . In addition, for purposes of this appendix, the following definitions apply:
Applicability identifies the trading desks for which a banking entity is required to calculate and report a particular quantitative measurement based on the type of covered trading activity conducted by the trading desk.
Calculation period means the period of time for which a particular quantitative measurement must be calculated.
Comprehensive profit and loss means the net profit or loss of a trading desk's material sources of trading revenue over a specific period of time, including, for example, any increase or decrease in the market value of a trading desk's holdings, dividend income, and interest income and expense.
Covered trading activity means trading conducted by a trading desk under § 255.4 , § 255.5 , § 255.6(a) , or § 255.6(b) . A banking entity may include in its covered trading activity trading conducted under § 255.3(d) , § 255.6(c) , § 255.6(d) , or § 255.6(e) .
Measurement frequency means the frequency with which a particular quantitative metric must be calculated and recorded.
Trading day means a calendar day on which a trading desk is open for trading.
III. Reporting and Recordkeeping
a. Scope of Required Reporting
1. Quantitative measurements. Each banking entity made subject to this appendix by § 255.20 must furnish the following quantitative measurements, as applicable, for each trading desk of the banking entity engaged in covered trading activities and calculate these quantitative measurements in accordance with this appendix:
i. Internal Limits and Usage;
ii. Value-at-Risk;
iii. Comprehensive Profit and Loss Attribution;
iv. Positions; and
v. Transaction Volumes.
2. Trading desk information. Each banking entity made subject to this appendix by § 255.20 must provide certain descriptive information, as further described in this appendix, regarding each trading desk engaged in covered trading activities.
3. Quantitative measurements identifying information. Each banking entity made subject to this appendix by § 255.20 must provide certain identifying and descriptive information, as further described in this appendix, regarding its quantitative measurements.
4. Narrative statement. Each banking entity made subject to this appendix by § 255.20 may provide an optional narrative statement, as further described in this appendix.
5. File identifying information. Each banking entity made subject to this appendix by § 255.20 must provide file identifying information in each submission to the SEC pursuant to this appendix, including the name of the banking entity, the RSSD ID assigned to the top-tier banking entity by the Board, and identification of the reporting period and creation date and time.
b. Trading Desk Information
1. Each banking entity must provide descriptive information regarding each trading desk engaged in covered trading activities, including:
i. Name of the trading desk used internally by the banking entity and a unique identification label for the trading desk;
ii. Identification of each type of covered trading activity in which the trading desk is engaged;
iii. Brief description of the general strategy of the trading desk;
v. A list identifying each Agency receiving the submission of the trading desk;
2. Indication of whether each calendar date is a trading day or not a trading day for the trading desk; and
3. Currency reported and daily currency conversion rate.
c. Quantitative Measurements Identifying Information
Each banking entity must provide the following information regarding the quantitative measurements:
1. An Internal Limits Information Schedule that provides identifying and descriptive information for each limit reported pursuant to the Internal Limits and Usage quantitative measurement, including the name of the limit, a unique identification label for the limit, a description of the limit, the unit of measurement for the limit, the type of limit, and identification of the corresponding risk factor attribution in the particular case that the limit type is a limit on a risk factor sensitivity and profit and loss attribution to the same risk factor is reported; and
2. A Risk Factor Attribution Information Schedule that provides identifying and descriptive information for each risk factor attribution reported pursuant to the Comprehensive Profit and Loss Attribution quantitative measurement, including the name of the risk factor or other factor, a unique identification label for the risk factor or other factor, a description of the risk factor or other factor, and the risk factor or other factor's change unit.
d. Narrative Statement
Each banking entity made subject to this appendix by § 255.20 may submit in a separate electronic document a Narrative Statement to the SEC with any information the banking entity views as relevant for assessing the information reported. The Narrative Statement may include further description of or changes to calculation methods, identification of material events, description of and reasons for changes in the banking entity's trading desk structure or trading desk strategies, and when any such changes occurred.
e. Frequency and Method of Required Calculation and Reporting
A banking entity must calculate any applicable quantitative measurement for each trading day. A banking entity must report the Trading Desk Information, the Quantitative Measurements Identifying Information, and each applicable quantitative measurement electronically to the SEC on the reporting schedule established in § 255.20 unless otherwise requested by the SEC. A banking entity must report the Trading Desk Information, the Quantitative Measurements Identifying Information, and each applicable quantitative measurement to the SEC in accordance with the XML Schema specified and published on the SEC's website.
f. Recordkeeping
A banking entity must, for any quantitative measurement furnished to the SEC pursuant to this appendix and § 255.20(d) , create and maintain records documenting the preparation and content of these reports, as well as such information as is necessary to permit the SEC to verify the accuracy of such reports, for a period of five years from the end of the calendar year for which the measurement was taken. A banking entity must retain the Narrative Statement, the Trading Desk Information, and the Quantitative Measurements Identifying Information for a period of five years from the end of the calendar year for which the information was reported to the SEC.
IV. Quantitative Measurements
a. Risk-Management Measurements
1. Internal Limits and Usage
i. Description: For purposes of this appendix, Internal Limits are the constraints that define the amount of risk and the positions that a trading desk is permitted to take at a point in time, as defined by the banking entity for a specific trading desk. Usage represents the value of the trading desk's risk or positions that are accounted for by the current activity of the desk. Internal limits and their usage are key compliance and risk management tools used to control and monitor risk taking and include, but are not limited to, the limits set out in §§ 255.4 and 255.5 . A trading desk's risk limits, commonly including a limit on "Value-at-Risk," are useful in the broader context of the trading desk's overall activities, particularly for the market making activities under § 255.4(b) and hedging activity under § 255.5 . Accordingly, the limits required under §§ 255.4(b)(2) (iii)(C) and 255.5(b)(1)(i)(A) must meet the applicable requirements under §§ 255.4(b)(2) (iii)(C) and 255.5(b)(1)(i)(A) and also must include appropriate metrics for the trading desk limits including, at a minimum, "Value-at-Risk" except to the extent the "Value-at-Risk" metric is demonstrably ineffective for measuring and monitoring the risks of a trading desk based on the types of positions traded by, and risk exposures of, that desk.
A. A banking entity must provide the following information for each limit reported pursuant to this quantitative measurement: The unique identification label for the limit reported in the Internal Limits Information Schedule, the limit size (distinguishing between an upper and a lower limit), and the value of usage of the limit.
ii. Calculation Period: One trading day.
iii. Measurement Frequency: Daily.
iv. Applicability: All trading desks engaged in covered trading activities.
2. Value-at-Risk
i. Description: For purposes of this appendix, Value-at-Risk ("VaR") is the measurement of the risk of future financial loss in the value of a trading desk's aggregated positions at the ninety-nine percent confidence level over a one-day period, based on current market conditions.
ii. Calculation Period: One trading day.
iii. Measurement Frequency: Daily.
iv. Applicability: All trading desks engaged in covered trading activities.
b. Source-of-Revenue Measurements
1. Comprehensive Profit and Loss Attribution
i. Description: For purposes of this appendix, Comprehensive Profit and Loss Attribution is an analysis that attributes the daily fluctuation in the value of a trading desk's positions to various sources. First, the daily profit and loss of the aggregated positions is divided into two categories:
(i) Profit and loss attributable to a trading desk's existing positions that were also positions held by the trading desk as of the end of the prior day ("existing positions"); and
(ii) profit and loss attributable to new positions resulting from the current day's trading activity ("new positions").
A. The comprehensive profit and loss associated with existing positions must reflect changes in the value of these positions on the applicable day. The comprehensive profit and loss from existing positions must be further attributed, as applicable, to (i) changes in the specific risk factors and other factors that are monitored and managed as part of the trading desk's overall risk management policies and procedures; and (ii) any other applicable elements, such as cash flows, carry, changes in reserves, and the correction, cancellation, or exercise of a trade.
B. For the attribution of comprehensive profit and loss from existing positions to specific risk factors and other factors, a banking entity must provide the following information for the factors that explain the preponderance of the profit or loss changes due to risk factor changes: The unique identification label for the risk factor or other factor listed in the Risk Factor Attribution Information Schedule, and the profit or loss due to the risk factor or other factor change.
C. The comprehensive profit and loss attributed to new positions must reflect commissions and fee income or expense and market gains or losses associated with transactions executed on the applicable day. New positions include purchases and sales of financial instruments and other assets/liabilities and negotiated amendments to existing positions. The comprehensive profit and loss from new positions may be reported in the aggregate and does not need to be further attributed to specific sources.
D. The portion of comprehensive profit and loss from existing positions that is not attributed to changes in specific risk factors and other factors must be allocated to a residual category. Significant unexplained profit and loss must be escalated for further investigation and analysis.
ii. Calculation Period: One trading day.
iii. Measurement Frequency: Daily.
iv. Applicability: All trading desks engaged in covered trading activities.
c. Positions and Transaction Volumes Measurements
1. Positions
i. Description: For purposes of this appendix, Positions is the value of securities and derivatives positions managed by the trading desk. For purposes of the Positions quantitative measurement, do not include in the Positions calculation for "securities" those securities that are also "derivatives," as those terms are defined under subpart A; instead, report those securities that are also derivatives as "derivatives." A banking entity must separately report the trading desk's market value of long securities positions, short securities positions, derivatives receivables, and derivatives payables.
ii. Calculation Period: One trading day.
iii. Measurement Frequency: Daily.
iv. Applicability: All trading desks that rely on § 255.4(a) or (b) to conduct underwriting activity or market-making-related activity, respectively.
2. Transaction Volumes
i. Description: For purposes of this appendix, Transaction Volumes measures three exclusive categories of covered trading activity conducted by a trading desk. A banking entity is required to report the value and number of security and derivative transactions conducted by the trading desk with:
(i) Customers, excluding internal transactions;
(ii) non-customers, excluding internal transactions; and
(iii) trading desks and other organizational units where the transaction is booked into either the same banking entity or an affiliated banking entity. For securities, value means gross market value. For derivatives, value means gross notional value. For purposes of calculating the Transaction Volumes quantitative measurement, do not include in the Transaction Volumes calculation for "securities" those securities that are also "derivatives," as those terms are defined under subpart A; instead, report those securities that are also derivatives as "derivatives." Further, for purposes of the Transaction Volumes quantitative measurement, a customer of a trading desk that relies on § 255.4(a) to conduct underwriting activity is a market participant identified in § 255.4(a)(7) , and a customer of a trading desk that relies on § 255.4(b) to conduct market making-related activity is a market participant identified in § 255.4(b)(3) .
ii. Calculation Period: One trading day.
iii. Measurement Frequency: Daily.
iv. Applicability: All trading desks that rely on § 255.4(a) or (b) to conduct underwriting activity or market-making-related activity, respectively.
17 C.F.R. § 255 app A to Part 255