Comparing Market Risk Measurement and Management in Australian Banks

This report, prepared for Prospect Bank by a financial risk analyst, examines the market risk measurement and management approaches of four major Australian banks: National Australia Bank (NAB), Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA), Australia and New Zealand Bank (ANZ), and Westpac. The report summarizes the different categories of market risks, including interest rate risk, foreign exchange risk, equity price risk, and credit spread risk, as defined in the banks' annual reports. It compares the methods used by each bank to measure and manage these risks, such as value at risk (VaR), sensitivity analysis, historical simulation, and stress testing. The report also discusses the advantages and disadvantages of each method and concludes with a discussion of how a bank can minimize its risks. The analysis is based on the latest annual reports available from each bank, providing a comprehensive overview of their risk management strategies.

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Categories of Market Risks in Annual Reports
Banks naturally need to understand the profile of their market risk. Banks market risk comprise
of temporary profits and losses, economic long-term risks and the volatilities. At the end of each
financial year banks desire to be familiar with the amount of risk they have accumulated and how
the risk compares with the bank overall risk, (Maugis, 2010, np.).
Market risks are risks of potential losses in the trading books of banks as a result of the
fluctuation in prices of equity, rates of foreign exchange, prices of commodities, credit spreads
and other indicators which exists in public markets (eba.europa, eu, 2018, np.). The market risks
categorized in the annual reports of the four banks include; interest rate risks, foreign exchange
risk, equity prices risks, commodity prices risks, credit spread risks, assets correlation risks and
implied volatile risks.
Categories of Risks in Australia and New Zealand Bank Annual Report
The market risks of Australia and New Zealand Bank come from the balance sheet and
other trading activities. In Australia and New Zealand Bank, Market risks are divided into traded
market risk and non-traded market risk. Traded market risk arises as a result of loss which occurs
from financial instruments changes as a result of price factor movements in physical and
derivatives positions of trading, (shareholder.anz.com,2018, np). Traded market risks are further
divided into five categories which are as follows
Currency risks and this are potential losses which occur from fluctuations in foreign
exchange rates and other indirect volatilities. Interest rates risks; these are losses which occur
from changes in indirect volatilities and fluctuations of foreign exchange rates. Credit spread
risks; these are losses which potentially occur from margin movements or relative spread to a
benchmark. Commodity risks; they are risks of losses which occur from changes in prices of
commodities or due to their indirect volatilities. Equity risks; they are market risks which occur
as a result of changes in prices of equity

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The second category is the non-traded market risks. This comprises of the risk of losses
which their occurrence is associated with the managing of non-traded foreign exchange
exposures, interest rate risk and liquidity risk. The non-traded risks also cover the banking book
interest risks. The risk of loss of non-traded risks is as a result of; adverse changes in general and
changes in relative levels interest rates from diverse tenors, differences between the actual and
the interest margin expected, due to the valuation of risks which are associated with options and
the bank products.
Categories of Market Risks in Commonwealth Bank of Australia
Commonwealth Bank of Australia also categorizes its market risks as traded and non-
traded market risks. The traded market risks in Commonwealth Bank of Australia occur due to
the group involved in financial markets while in customer service. The traded market risks arise
due to the group involved in the following categories of trading; Debt, interest rate, foreign
exchange, commodity and equity. The non-traded market risks arise from; banking books interest
risks, insurance business market risks, guarantees and shareholders capital,
(commbank.com.au,2018, np)
Categories of Risks in National Australia Bank
Market risks according to this bank arise due to gains or losses from business trading
practices which occur due to market movements. This bank divides market risk into traded and
non-traded market risks. Under traded market risks, the risks are categorized into six which
comprise of; inflation risk, credit, commodity, volatility, interest rate and foreign exchange risks.
The non-trading market risk in this bank comes from the banking book interest rate risk. The
banking book interest risks occur from the re-pricing risk, optionality risk, yield curve risk and
basis risk. (nab.com.au, 2018, np).
Categories of Risks in Westpac Group Market Risks
This group also categorizes its market risks into two; traded market risks and non-traded
market risks. Traded market risks comprise of the following categories; volatility risks, credit
spread, equity price, commodity, interest rate and foreign exchange risks. Non traded market

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risks include the following categories; foreign exchange, credit spread and interest rate risks,
(westpacgroup.com.au, 2018, np).
Methods of Measuring and Managing Market risks
Australia and New Zealand bank measures and manages its market risks using sensitivity
analysis, value at risk method and stress testing. Using this method, Australia and New Zealand
bank is able to gauge its possible daily losses using the market historical movements. Undervalue
at risk, the risk is calculated using one to ten-day holding periods and also it gauges using a 99%
confidence interval to know the probability of loss occurrence.
Australia and New Zealand bank manage the balance sheet so as to sustain liquidity and
interest rate risk at acceptable levels, diminish negative effects of interest rates on the market
value of the banking book and earnings,(shareholder.anz.com,2018, np).
Interest rate risk management is done by reporting using the value at risk method and
scenario analysis. Scenario analysis is utilized so as to test the effects of extreme exposure to
interest rate risk.
Foreign exchange risk management; the subsidiaries associates and branches of Australia
and New Zealand Bank render the group vulnerable to this risk. The valuation changes due to
foreign exchange risk are reported in equity currency translation reserve
Commonwealth Bank of Australia
Commonwealth Bank of Australia measures and manages its market risk using; Value at
risk method, economic value and next 12 months earning methodology,
(commbank.com.au,2018, np). The confidence level of value at risk of Commonwealth Bank of
Australia is 97.5% which is lower than that of Australia and New Zealand bank.
Interest rate risk management and measuring are done using two methods; economic
value and use of the next 12 months. All the other elements of market risks are measured using
Value at risk method.

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National Australia Bank.
The internal interest rate of this bank is measured using numerous method compared to
Commonwealth Bank of Australia and Australia and New Zealand bank. The methods include;
historical simulation, balance sheet static, value at risk, earnings at risk, 99 per cent level of
confidence and three months holding period. Interest rate risks of banking book are only
measured using two methods which are earning at risk and value at risk, (nab.com.au,2018, np).
Westpac Group
Different from the other three, it measures and manages some of its marketing risks using
limits. The limits are; value at risk limit, net interest income at risk and structural limits. The
other methods are stress testing and value analysis, (westpacgroup.com.au, 2018, np). Westpac
bank manages its risk by meeting their compliance and regulations requirements. They also set
adequate controls which help in guarding against risk. Westpac group also measures their risk
profile well in order to help in risk management.
Approaches Used to Minimize Risks.
Market risks in Westpac are managed by trading desks with delegated responsibilities.
The marketing risks management is done by managers according to their level of experience,
strengths and level of risk concentration. Westpac also performs daily monitoring of recent
exposure and the use of limits. It also performs stress testing and back testing of value at risk
results on daily basis. The asset and liability management overseas the non -traded market risks,
(westpacgroup.com.au,2018, np).
In the National Australia Bank, in order to minimize risks, risk management is done by
counterparty, industry sector and by geographical region. The bank establishes policies which
help in governing huge exposures to market risk, (nab.com.au,2018, np).
In the Commonwealth Bank of Australia, the management measures market risks using
value at risk method and uses those results the financial effects of market risks,
(commbank.com.au,2018, np)

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Under Australia and New Zealand Bank, in order to minimize risks, the responsibility of
managing daily market risks is delegated to credit and market risk committee. Risk management
has been made a joint responsibility in order to minimize market risks. Market risk control team
assign limits to various market risks on daily basis and as a result minimize market risks,
(shareholder.anz.com,2018, np).
Advantages and disadvantages of methods used in measuring market risks.
Advantages of Value at Risk Method
This method is easily understandable. Banks using this method are able to interpret and
analyze the values simply. The values of value at risk method are comparable. Value at risks
method enables users to easily compare various types of assets using different portfolios. This
method is used as a global standard of measurement. Every bank uses this method due to the
valuation of market risks for new products, (Yakov, 2005, pp.338).
Disadvantages
Value at risk method can give misleading information. The confidence level of this
method is 99% which may indicate false information because 99% is not the same as 100%.
Value at risk does not give results from the negative side, it only indicates that the probability of
loss is 1% and this may not be true because the potential loss due to market risks may be higher
than 1%. Value at risk method presents difficulties in the measurement of market risks in high
portfolios. Different assets cannot be added together while measuring market risks and for this
reason, it creates additional problems. Measurement of market risks using the three different
methods of value at risk produce different results (Chipalkati and Datar, 2000, pp.174).
Advantages of Historical Simulation
Measurement of market risks using this method is simple. It does not have the
assumption of no normal distribution. It does not require compulsory calculations of standard
deviations and correlations of asset returns.

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Disadvantages
Implementation of historical simulation is very tiresome. For one to get the standard
deviations and correlations, one has to come up with estimates of different securities which may
lead to misleading information. It is difficult to measure the returns of securities which are not
normally distributed. The measurement results have large standard errors
Advantages of Sensitivity Analysis
Sensitivity analysis provides variables which assist in forecasting cash flows and this
makes the measurement to be easy. It exposes estimates which are inappropriate and this guides
on the selection of measurement variables, (Corporate finance institute, 2018, np)
Disadvantages
Sensitivity analysis does not offer focus concerning the measurement variables
interrelationships. It fails to provide a clear-cut outcome, (Tsanakas and Millosovich 2015,
pp,30-38).
Advantages of Stress Testing
Stress testing provides banks with value prevention in terms of oversight, market risk
management and strategic management. The results from stress testing analysis act as a sense of
security. The tools for stress testing generate results which are trusted, (lear, 1984, pp.40).
Disadvantages
Stress testing gives too many predictions which outlive its usefulness. This framework
also lacks systematic risk. Too much trust in stress testing gives managers a false sense of
security, (Staff, 2018, np.)
How a Bank can minimize its Risks.
A bank can minimize risks by establishing committees which oversee and monitors risks
using various risks measuring and management techniques. Banks can conduct day to day
evaluation of risks for example risks associated with commodity prices, (Dds.ca.gov, 2018, np).
Value at risk method serves as the best way for measurement and management of risks. Banks

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should endeavour to update stocks after every three months so as to be able to manage risks
appropriately and this can be done through the use of value at risk method. Banks should be able
to calculate and evaluate the risks that may occur due future market changes for example in
terms of prices and be able to come up with ways of minimizing them, (Balbas and
Garrido,2014, pp.467-468)

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References
Balbas, A. and Garrido, J. (2014). Special issue on risk management techniques for catastrophic
and heavy tailed risks. Risks, 2(4), pp.467-468.
Chipalkati ,N .and Datar ,V. 2000.The relevance of market risk disclosures: Evidence from
LTCM crisis, Journal of financial regulation and compliance, London, 14 pp,174
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https://www.commbank.com.au/content/dam/commbank/aboutus/shareholders/pdfs/annual-
reports/annual_report_2017_14_aug_2017.pdf [Accessed 26 Sep. 2018].
Corporate finance institute,(2018).Overview of financial analysis-what is sensitivity analysis.
(online). Available at https//corporatefinanceinstitute.com/resources/knowledge/modeling/what-
is-sensitivity- analysis(accessed 26 sep 2018)
Dds.ca.gov.(2018).(online) Available at:
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Eba.europa,eu, (2018).Market risk-European Banking authority.(online). Available
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Lear, J. (1984).Supine thallium stress testing. Clinical nuclear medicine, 9(9),pp.40
Maugis, P.( 2010).Market efficiencies and market risks. ssrn electronic journal
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finance-report.pdf(Accessed 26 sep 2018)
Staff,I.( 2018).Stress testing (online) Investopedia. Available at:

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https://www.investopedia.com/term/stresstesting.asp(Accessed 26 sep 2018)
Shareholder.anz.com. (2018).Annual report/annual review/ANZ shareholder center.(online)
Available at:https://shareholder.anz.com/annual-report-annual-review (Accesed 26 sep 2018).
Tsanakas, A. and Millossovich, P.(2015). Sensitivity analysis using risk measures. Risk analysis,
36(1), pp.30-48
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https://www.2017annualreport.westpacgroup.com.au(Accessed 26 sep 2018)
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finance,6(5), pp 388