Trends, risks and vulnerabilities in securities markets

In order to safeguard financial stability it is necessary to identify, at an early stage, trends, potential risks and vulnerabilities stemming from the micro-prudential level, across borders and across sectors. Thereby particular attention is paid to any systemic risk posed by financial market participants, failure of which may impair the operation of the financial system or the real economy. ESMA monitors and assesses such developments in the area of its competence and, where necessary, informs the European Parliament, the Council, the Commission, the other European Supervisory Authorities and the ESRB on a regular and, as necessary, on an ad hoc basis. In cooperation with the ESRB, ESMA also initiates and coordinates Union-wide stress tests to assess the resilience of financial market participants to adverse market developments, and ensures that an as consistent as possible methodology is applied at the national level to such tests. In order to perform its functions properly, ESMA conducts economic analyses of the markets and the impact of potential market developments. On this basis, ESMA produces four report annually on Trends, Risks and Vulnerabilities.