The Monetary Conduct Authority has instructed asset managers to overview liquidity administration of their funds.
Gaps in liquidity administration might result in investor hurt, the FCA has warned.
The regulator mentioned a overview had discovered that asset managers wanted to extend their give attention to liquidity danger.
Managing liquidity successfully is significant in order that traders are capable of withdraw their investments according to their expectations and at an correct worth that displays its worth.
The FCA says that poor liquidity administration might lead to severe dangers to wider market stability.
Whereas some companies can exhibit very excessive requirements, the regulator mentioned there was a large disparity within the high quality of compliance with regulatory requirements and the depth of liquidity danger administration experience.
A minority of companies within the overview had insufficient frameworks to handle liquidity danger, the watchdog mentioned immediately.
The regulator discovered that whereas the constructing blocks and instruments for efficient liquidity administration have been normally in place at companies, these often-lacked coherence when considered as a full course of and weren’t all the time embedded into each day actions.
Camille Blackburn, director of wholesale buy-side on the FCA, mentioned: “We have now seen examples available in the market the place liquidity danger has crystallised and the affect this may have on traders.
“This overview ought to function a warning to all asset managers that they should get this proper. We count on boards to debate our findings and guarantee themselves that their companies should not amongst the minority with severe gaps in managing liquidity danger.
“It’s very important the outliers take fast motion. They danger regulatory intervention in the event that they don’t take this chance to deal with weaknesses.”
The regulator added that asset managers wanted to enhance their liquidity administration earlier than the Client Responsibility comes into power on the finish of this month.
In response, platform and SIPP supplier AJ Bell mentioned the FCA’s give attention to liquidity administration appeared at odds with the Authorities technique to push pension cash into illiquid belongings.
Laith Khalaf, head of funding evaluation at AJ Bell, mentioned: “It’s price noting that on the similar time the FCA is telling asset managers to handle liquidity danger, the regulator can also be within the strategy of opening up Lengthy Time period Asset Funds investing in extremely illiquid belongings to retail traders.
“The preliminary impetus for Lengthy Time period Asset funds got here from none aside from Rishi Sunak, in his former position as Chancellor. The not-so-subtle aim is to faucet up the big sum of money sat in pension funds for funding in UK infrastructure and start-ups, to assist enhance financial progress and fund the transition to greener vitality.
“The Authorities can also be reportedly contemplating requiring pension funds to speculate a sure proportion of their cash within the UK, together with into some illiquid belongings. We’ll maybe discover out extra when Jeremy Hunt provides his Mansion Home speech subsequent week. The Authorities does appear to be centered on getting that pension cash flowing into UK start-ups and infrastructure, regardless of the illiquid nature of those belongings.
“It appears fairly clear then that the drive to get us all investing in illiquid belongings is motivated by financial coverage, quite than on account of any vital client demand, and even as a result of it’s really a good suggestion for personal traders. If it’s going to proceed happening this route, the Authorities must make completely certain it’s not opening retail traders as much as additional liquidity dangers in order that it might meet its personal financial targets.”