Information checkedInformation geprüft Risk management

The LLB Group has in place a differentiated risk management and risk control system for market risks. The market risk control process comprises a sophisticated framework of rules involving the identification and the uniform valuation of market risk-relevant data as well as the control, monitoring and reporting of market risks.

Trading book

The trading book contains own positions in financial instruments which are held for short-term further sale or repurchase. These activities are closely associated with the needs of our clients for capital market products and are regarded as being supporting activities for our core business.

The LLB Group conducts relatively small-scale trading book activities in accordance with Article 94 (1) of the Capital Requirements Regulation (CRR). A limits system is in operation to ensure compliance and is monitored by Group Risk Management. Due to the lack of materiality, the trading book is no longer explained in detail.

Banking book

In general, the holdings in the banking book are employed to pursue long-term investment goals. These holdings include assets, liabilities, and off-balance sheet positions, which are the result, on the one hand, of classical banking business and, on the other, are held to earn revenue over their life.

Market risks with the banking book mainly involve interest rate fluctuation risk, exchange rate risk and equity price risk.

Exchange rate risk

This relates to the risks arising in connection with the uncertainties regarding future exchange rate trends. The calculation of these risks takes into consideration all the positions entered into by the bank.

Interest rate fluctuation risk

This is regarded as the adverse effects of changes in market interest rates on capital resources or current earnings. The different interest maturity periods of claims and liabilities from balance sheet transactions and derivatives represent the most important basis.

Equity price risk

This is understood to be the risk of losses due to adverse changes in the market prices of equities.

Sensitivity analysis

In sensitivity analysis a risk factor is altered. Subsequently, the effects of the alteration of the risk factor on the portfolio concerned are estimated.

Value at Risk

The value-at-risk concept measures the potential loss under normal market conditions over a given time interval.

Scenario analysis

While the value-at-risk concept supplies an indication of possible losses under normal market conditions, it cannot provide information about potential losses under extreme conditions. The aim of the scenario analyses of the LLB Group is to simulate the effects of normal and stress scenarios.

Within the specified limit parameters, the individual Group companies are at liberty to manage their interest rate risks as they wish. Interest rate swaps are employed mainly to control interest rate risks. Risks are restricted by means of value-at–risk models and sensitivity limits.

In client business, currency risks are basically controlled by making investments or obtaining refinancing in matching currencies. The residual currency risk is restricted by means of sensitivity limits.

Investments in equities are limited by the imposition of nominal limits.

Group Credit & Risk Management monitors the observance of market risk limits and is also responsible for reporting market risks.

Currency sensitivity affects both interest rate sensitive and non-interest rate sensitive instruments. The sensitivity of instruments in foreign currencies is determined by multiplying the CHF market value by the assumed exchange rate fluctuation of + / – 10 per cent.

Interest rate sensitivity measures the market change on interest rate-sensitive instruments for the LLB Group caused by a linear interest rate adjustment of + / – 100 basis points.

The equity price risks are measured assuming a price fluctuation of + / – 10 per cent on the equity market.

Exchange rate risk

The price gains resulting from the valuation of transactions and balances are booked to profit and loss. The price gains resulting from the transfer of the functional currency into the reporting currency are booked under other comprehensive income without affecting profit and loss.

Interest rate fluctuation risk

The LLB Group recognises client loans in the balance sheet at amortised cost. This means that a change in the interest rate does not cause any change in the recognised amount and therefore to no significant recognition affecting profit and loss of the effects of interest rate fluctuation. However, fluctuations in interest rates can lead to risks because the LLB Group largely finances long-term loans with client assets. Within the scope of financial risk management, these interest rate fluctuation risks in the balance sheet business of the LLB Group are hedged mainly by means of interest rate swaps. If the IFRS hedge accounting criteria for hedging instruments (interest rate swaps) and underlying transactions (loans) are met, the hedged part of the loans to clients is recognised in the balance sheet at fair value. Further information regarding recognition and measurement is provided in the chapter “Accounting principles”.

Equity price risk

The valuation is carried out at current market prices. The equity price risk resulting from the valuation at current market prices is reflected in the income statement and in other comprehensive income.

Sensitivities

Exchange rate risk by currency

Currency exposure as at 31 December 2019

Currency exposure as at 31 December 2020

In the fixed-interest-rate repricing balance sheet, asset and liability surpluses from fixed-interest rate positions as well as from interest- rate-sensitive derivative positions in the balance sheet are calculated and broken down into maturity ranges (cycle times). The positions with an unspecified duration of interest rate repricing are allocated to the corresponding maturity ranges (cycle times) on the basis of a replication.

Interest commitments of financial assets and liabilities (nominal)

Processes and organisational structures ensure that credit risks are identified, uniformly evaluated, controlled, monitored and included in risk reporting.

Basically, the LLB Group conducts its lending business for private and corporate clients on a secured basis. The process of granting a loan is based on a thorough evaluation of the borrower’s creditworthiness, the possible impairment and the legal existence of collateral, as well as risk classification in a rating process performed by experienced credit specialists. The granting of loans is subject to a specified assignment of authority. A major characteristic of the credit approval process is the separation between front and back office functions.

In addition, the LLB Group conducts lending business with banks on a secured and unsecured basis, whereby individual risk limits are approved for every counterparty.

The consistent evaluation of credit risks represents an essential prerequisite of successful risk management. The credit risk can be broken down into the components: probability of default, loss given default and the expected exposure at the time point of the default.

Probability of default

The LLB Group assesses the probability of default of individual counterparties by means of an internal rating system. The different rating procedures are adapted to suit the different characteristics of borrowers. The credit risk management ratings employed for banks and debt instruments are based on external ratings from recognised rating agencies.

The reconciliation of the internal rating with the external rating is carried out in accordance with the following master scale.

Loss given default

The loss given default is influenced by the amount of collateralisation and the costs of realising the collateral. It is expressed as a percentage of the individual commitment.

The potential loss at portfolio level is broken down as follows at the LLB Group:

Rating classes (master scale)

Expected loss

Expected loss is a future-related, statistical concept that permits the LLB Group to estimate the average annual costs. It is calculated on the basis of the default probability of a counterparty, the expected credit commitment made to this counterparty at the time of the default, and the magnitude of the loss given default. The concept of expected loss is also applied within the scope of IFRS 9 / ECL. See chapter “Accounting principles”.

Value-at-risk concept

The value-at-risk approach aims at computing the size of fluctuations in credit losses incurred by means of a statistical model and to show the change in the risk status of the credit portfolio.

Scenario analysis

The modelling of external credit losses is performed on the basis of stress scenarios, which enable us to evaluate the effects of fluctuations in the default rates of the assets pledged as collateral taking into consideration the existing risk concentration in every portfolio.

Credit risk management has the task of actively influencing the risk situation of the LLB Group. This is carried out using a limits system, risk-adjusted pricing, through the possibility of using risk hedging instruments and the specific repayment of credit commitments. Risk management is conducted both at the individual loan and at the portfolio level.

Risk restriction

The LLB Group has in place a comprehensive limits system to restrict credit risk exposure. In addition to the limitation of individual credit risks, to prevent risk concentrations, the LLB Group assigns limits for regions and sectors.

Risk mitigation

To mitigate credit risk exposure, the LLB Group takes security mainly in the form of pledged assets and financial collateral. In the case of financial collateral in the form of marketable securities, we determine their collateral value by applying a schedule of reductions, the size of which is based on the quality, liquidity, volatility and complexity of the separate instruments.

Derivatives

The LLB Group may employ credit derivatives to reduce risks. This possibility has not been utilised in recent years.

The organisational structure of the LLB Group ensures that departments which cause the risks (front office) and those that evaluate, manage and monitor them (back office) are completely separated.

Individual credit risks are monitored by means of a comprehensive limits system. Infringements are immediately reported to the senior officer responsible.

Overdue claims

A claim is deemed to be overdue if a substantial liability from a borrower to the bank is outstanding. The overdraft begins on the date when a borrower exceeds an approved limit, has not paid interest or amortisation, or has utilised an unauthorised credit facility.

For claims that are more than 90 days overdue, individual value allowances are made in the amount of the expected credit loss.

Default-endangered claims

Claims are regarded as being in danger of default if, on the basis of the client’s creditworthiness, a loan default can no longer be excluded in the near future.

Impairments

Basically, an impairment is calculated and a provision set aside for all positions which are subject to a credit risk. Essentially, the credit quality determines the scope of the impairment. If the credit risk has not risen significantly since initial recognition, the expected credit loss is calculated over a year (credit quality level 1). However, if a significant increase in the credit risk has occurred since initial recognition, the expected loss is calculated over the remaining term to maturity (credit quality level 2). In the case of defaulted credit positions – a default in accordance with the Capital Requirements Regulation (CRR) Art. 178 – a specific value allowance is determined and recognised by the Group Recovery Department. The expected credit loss is calculated over the loan’s remaining term to maturity (credit quality level 3).

A country risk arises if specific political or economic conditions in a country affect the value of a foreign position. Country risk is composed of transfer risk (e.g. restrictions on the free movement of money and capital) and other country risks (e.g. country-related liquidity, market and correlation risks).

Country risks are controlled on the basis of a limits system and are continually monitored. Ratings provided by a recognised rating agency are utilised for certain individual countries.

The largest credit risk for the LLB Group arises from loans made to banks and loans made to customers. In the case of loans to customers, the majority of loans are secured by mortgages, which are granted to clients having first-class creditworthiness within the scope of the LLB Group’s lending policy. Thanks to the diversified nature of the collateral portfolio, containing properties primarily in the Principality of Liechtenstein and in Switzerland, the risk of losses is reduced to a minimum. The LLB Group undertakes bank investments on both a secured and an unsecured basis. The risk of losses with loans to banks is restricted, on the one hand, through a broad distribution of risks and, on the other, by the strict minimum lending requirements applied to the counterparties.

Maximal credit risk by region without considering collateral

Maximal credit risk by sector without considering collateral