Fed begins stress tests

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WASHINGTON, Nov. 9 (UPI) -- The 2013 capital planning and stress test program for U.S. financial institutions is under way, the Federal Reserve Board said Friday.

The program includes the Comprehensive Capital Analysis and Review of 19 firms and the Capital Plan Review of an additional 11 bank-holding companies with at least $50 billion of total consolidated assets, the Fed said in a release.

The purpose of the reviews is to ensure larger, complex banking institutions have robust, forward-looking capital planning processes that, among other things, help ensure the institutions have sufficient capital to operate in times of economic and financial stress, the Fed said.

The financial institutions in the programs will be expected to have credible plans demonstrating they have sufficient capital to lend to households and businesses even under severely adverse conditions, among other things, the Fed said.

"The Federal Reserve has been focused -- and will remain focused -- on ensuring the nation's largest financial institutions have enough capital to weather severe, unexpected conditions and still continue lending to households and businesses," Fed Gov. Daniel Tarullo said.