A stable, well-functioning financial market for allA stable, well-functioning financial market for allResult
2024
FI Analysis No. 42: Gender differences in investment behaviour
The study confirms previous results showing that women are underrepresented in the stock market. The differences arise as early as three years of age, which shows that adults more often buy stocks for boys than for girls. We also see that men generally have larger stock portfolios than women throughout life, although women increase their stock wealth later in life.
Interest rate puts pressure on indebted households
Households continue to be under pressure from both higher interest rates and other costs. This is evident in FI’s mortgage report, which is being published today. The report looks at new mortgagors during the autumn of 2023. We can see that there are fewer mortgagors than in previous years. Home buyers also bought slightly less expensive homes and borrowed slightly less. Total lending to households has stagnated, but despite this household indebtedness continues to be high.
Comprehensive overview is important when changing the conditions on the housing market
FI has received an assignment from the Government to assess an increase in the loan-to-value (LTV) cap from 85 to 90 percent. At the same time, the Government proposes phasing out the tax deductibility for unsecured loans. We assess that an increase in the LTV cap would lead to higher household indebtedness and an increase in associated risks. This assessment holds even if interest rate deductions for unsecured loans are phased out. We also take the position that it is appropriate to await the results of the ongoing inquiry into both the LTV cap and the amortisation requirement and consider any changes to the measures comprehensively.
2023
Consumer Protection Report 2023
The risks given the highest priority in FI’s consumer protection work for 2023 are unaffordable lending, unsuitable investment products and investment fraud.
Open finance in Sweden
Digitalisation introduces both opportunities and risks to the financial market. After conducting a new survey, FI has noted that broader regulation on how customer data can be shared with third-party providers could make it easier for consumers to compare financial products such as occupational pensions and mortgages.
Report: Banks’ administration of amortisation requirement exemptions
Finansinspektionen has conducted a survey into banks' administration of amortisation requirement exemptions, as an assignment from the government. The survey shows that banks have primarily handled amortisation requirement exemptions well. Banks have improved their procedures for handling exemptions, which have increased due to increased pressure on households' finances and more widespread knowledge within society about the possibility of receiving an exemption. The banks' improved procedures are an adjustment to this change.
The Swedish Mortgage Market 2023
Mortgagors are under pressure from rising interest rates. At the same time, the majority of new mortgagors continue to have good margins in their personal finances. These are the conclusions drawn by Finansinspektionen in this year’s Swedish Mortgage Market report, which is being presented today.
2022
Consumer Protection Report 2022
Unsound lending practices and commission from the sale of financial instruments are the highest prioritised risks in Finansinspektionen’s (FI) consumer protection assignment for 2022.
The Swedish Mortgage Market 2022
Swedish households continue to take increasingly larger loans. More new mortgagors than in previous years had both a high loan-to-income ratio and a high loan-to-value ratio. Higher inflation and rising interest rates mean that mortgagors have smaller margins in their personal finances. This decreases the consumption capacity at the same time as the mortgagors’ ability to repay their loan is impaired.
2021
FI Analysis 35: Lender significance for repayment problems and debt at the Swedish Enforcement Authority
There are different types of lenders. They offer different types of loans, and their risk tolerance varies. The risk tolerance is evident in their business model, which consists in part of how they conduct their credit assessment. There are also different types of borrowers. Some want small loans, and others want big loans. Both the lender’s credit assessment and the borrower’s repayment capacity are often better for large loans. The small loans represent a large share of early repayment problems – reminders and collection notices. But the borrower can often pay back small loans before they are registered with the Swedish Enforcement Authority.
Swedish Consumer Credit
One of Finansinspektionen’s (FI) assignments is to promote a high level of protection for consumers on the financial markets. FI does this in part by conducting an annual survey of new consumer credit. The survey helps enhance our understanding of consumer credit and the risks it entails for borrowers. Loans and loan service payments have a major impact on household finances. For a borrower with an average income that takes out a large consumer credit, the monthly payment for the interest and amortisation payments can correspond to the payment of a significantly larger mortgage.
Overall assessment of macroprudential measures
Since 2010, FI has implemented a number of macroprudential measures aimed at increasing the resilience in the financial system and subduing the risks associated with high and rising household debt. These measures include tightening the capital requirements on banks and introducing a mortgage cap and two amortisation requirements. In this report, we present an overall assessment of these measures, with a focus on the measures that, via lenders, place restrictions on households’ mortgage borrowing.
FI Analys No 34: Temporary amortisation exemption led to new mortgagors borrowing
The temporary amortisation exemption resulted in new mortgagors borrowing almost 4 per cent more and buying homes that were approximately 1 per cent more expensive, concludes a new FI Analysis.
FI Analysis No. 33: Household debt and resilience
The ability to borrow is beneficial to households in many ways. At the same time, debt can make their consumption more sensitive to unexpected changes in interest rates, income, and house prices. This, in turn, can affect how the economy evolves in a crisis. But measures that lead to lower debt don’t necessarily increase the resilience of all households. To assess the effects of borrower-based measures, it is necessary to also consider households’ balance sheets, in particular their liquid assets.
The Swedish Mortgage Market (2021)
New borrowers continue to take larger mortgages in relation to their income and the value of their home. At the same time, they have good margins for servicing their loans under weaker economic conditions.
Sustainability Report 2021 – the climate in focus
Finansinspektionen has an assignment to promote the financial system’s contribution to sustainable development. The sustainability report outlines the current sustainability issues that are related to the financial sector and lists examples of what FI is working on in this area.
Consumer Protection Report 2021
Paying by invoice or with other credit-based offers is becoming an integral part of shopping online. Young adults are unique with their small margins and large number of payment reminders and collection notices. Unaffordable loans are a prioritised consumer risk in this year’s report.
2020
FI Analysis 25: Interest rate deductions and households’ loans
The tax rebate for interest expenses – the interest deduction – means that households borrow more, and can and want to pay more for homes. This means that the households experience an increase in both their liabilities and assets, which in turn could have an impact on the stability of the financial system. In this FI Analysis, we calculate the impact of a change to the interest deduction. The reason for this analysis is the direct link between interest deductions and households’ loans.
Swedish Consumer Credit
Even though consumer credit only constitutes a small portion of households’ total credit, the interest rate and amortisation payments for these credits amount to more than half of the households’ total debt service payments. The analysis also shows that individual consumers are having difficulty paying for their consumer credit. Overall, this means that the consumer credit market could impact many households, which makes it important for consumer protection on the financial markets.
FI Analysis 22: Fewer high-cost short-term credits after new rules
After the provisions regarding high-cost short-term credits were changed in 2018 – in part by introducing an interest rate ceiling and cost ceiling – these types of loans decreased sharply. It is probable that the reform has led to a decrease in the supply of high-cost short-term credits. It is also evident that several companies have stopped offering such loans.
