Funds industry set for fresh regulatory wave amid questions of 'systematic importance'

Sector unlikely to be cause of any impending financial crisis

Asset managers look set to endure a wave of new regulatory pressures when the current economic crisis subsides, according to economists and regulatory experts – but the sector is unlikely to be the cause of any impending financial crisis, amid growing concerns about fragilities in the pensions industry.

The 2008 Global Financial Crisis was primarily the result of failings in the regulation of the investment banking industry. It has since led to banks being forced to carry out regular stress-testing, the birth of three new supervisory bodies to oversee regulation and, more recently, the introduction of mandatory ring-fencing to protect the assets of their end customers. Over the course of the 11-year bull market, which has been supported by ultra-loose central bank policy, the investment industry has become increasingly multi-faceted and offers a wider range of mandates, often investi...