2015 Top 10 Posts: Toshiba Scandal, Bank Risk, Fiduciary Rule, Shadow Banking

From the Toshiba accounting scandal to the Labor Department’s controversial fiduciary rule proposal, 2015 has been an eventful year for capital markets.

Here are our top 10 most-read blog posts from 2015:

1. The Great Unwind: What Will Rising Interest Rates Mean for Bank Risk Exposures?
   Low interest rates can’t last forever, and growing research predicts rising rates will strain bank profitability and capital levels.
2. Toshiba Accounting Scandal: Should Auditor Ernst & Young ShinNihon Get a Mulligan?
   Given the sheer size of the financial misstatement, it begs the question: Why was the auditor blind to the accounting irregularities?
3. Labor Department Fiduciary Rule Proposal Takes Important First Step
   CFA Institute urges a single standard of care from those who advise investors that honors client interests above all others.
4. Dual-Class Shares: From Google to Alibaba, Is It a Troubling Trend for Investors?
   Dual-class shares have been making a comeback, with Google, Groupon, Facebook, and other tech firms adopting the structure.
5. CFA Institute Survey: How Do ESG Issues Factor into Investment Decisions?  
   Survey finds 73% of poll takers consider ESG issues in their investment analysis and decisions.
6. Shadow Banking Set in Context: Unlocking Capital Markets or Migrating Risk?
   What does shadow banking really mean, what does it look like, and what should policy makers care about?
7. OCI Study: Understanding Bank Performance, Risk Through “Forgotten” Income Statement
   With banks’ earnings season in full swing and the looming threat of rising interest rates, a critical question remains: How effectively are investors monitoring bank performance and risk?
8. Bank Risk-Weighted Assets: How to Restore Investor Trust
   Investors are hindered by limited comparability and disparities in risk-weighted assets across countries and banks.
9. Toshiba Accounting Scandal: A Corporate Culture Problem
   Companies thrive with good culture, governance, and candor.
10. Women on Corporate Boards: Global Trends for Promoting Diversity
    Since exploring corporate board diversity in 2012, more countries have adopted “comply-or-explain” rules or quotas for female board representation.

Some of our most popular posts this year were published in 2014, but continue to have relevance.

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Photo credit: iStockphoto.com/tbradford