U.S. Boosts Bank Capital Demands Above Global Standards

Capital standards at the biggest U.S. lenders would rise to 5 percent of assets for parent companies and 6 percent for their banking units under a proposal by regulators to bolster financial firms.

Leverage ratios would be pegged 2 percentage points above the 3 percent international minimum for holding companies, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency said today in a statement. Capital at U.S.-backed deposit and lending units must be twice the world standard at 6 percent, the OCC said.