[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 112 (Monday, June 13, 1994)] [Unknown Section] [Page 0] From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] [FR Doc No: 94-14263] [[Page Unknown]] [Federal Register: June 13, 1994] ======================================================================= ----------------------------------------------------------------------- FEDERAL DEPOSIT INSURANCE CORPORATION FEDERAL RESERVE SYSTEM Banco Bilbao; Acquisition of Company Engaged in Permissible Nonbanking Activities Banco Bilbao Vizcaya, S.A., Bilbao, Spain (Applicant), a foreign banking organization subject to the Bank Holding Company Act (BHC Act), has applied pursuant to section 4(c)(8) of the BHC Act and Sec. 225.23(a)(2) and (3) of the Board's Regulation Y (12 CFR 225.23(a)(2) and (3)), to retain an interest in its indirect subsidiary, Probursa International Incorporated, New York, New York (Company), and thereby engage in the following securities-related activities: (1) providing investment advisory services pursuant to Sec. 225.25(b)(4) of the Board's Regulation Y (12 CFR 225.25(b)(4)); (2) providing full service brokerage services pursuant to Secs. 225.25(b)(4) and (b)(15) of Regulation Y (12 CFR 225.25(b)(4) and (b)(15)), including exercising investment discretion on behalf of institutional customers; (3) buying and selling, on the order of customers, all types of securities as a riskless principal; and (4) engaging in the private placement of all types of securities as agent. Section 4(c)(8) of the BHC Act provides that a bank holding company may, with Board approval, engage in any activity ``which the Board, after due notice and opportunity for hearing, has determined (by order or regulation) to be so closely related to banking or managing or controlling banks as to be a proper incident thereto.'' This statutory test requires that two separate tests be met for an activity to be permissible for a bank holding company. First, the Board must determine that the activity is, as a general matter, ``closely related to banking.'' Second, the Board must find in a particular case that the performance of the activity by the applicant bank holding company may be reasonably be expected to produce public benefits that outweigh possible adverse effects. The Board previously has determined by regulation that the proposed investment advisory and full-service brokerage activities are closely related to banking under section 4 of the BHC Act. See 12 CFR 225.25(b)(4) and (b)(15). Applicant has committed that it will conduct these activities in accordance with the Board's limitations and restrictions on the conduct of such activities. The Board also has previously determined that the proposed riskless principal and private placement activities are closely related to banking, subject to certain prudential limitations on the conduct of such activities which address the potential for conflicts of interest, unsound banking practices, and other adverse effects. See, e.g., J.P. Morgan & Company Inc., 76 Federal Reserve Bulletin 26 (1990); Bankers Trust New York Corporation, 75 Federal Reserve Bulletin 829 (1989). Applicant has committed to conduct the proposed riskless principal and private placement activities subject to the conditions and limitations contained in these and other Board orders approving these activities. In order to satisfy the proper incident to banking test, section 4(c)(8) of the BHC Act requires the Board to find that the performance of the activities by Company can reasonably be expected to produce benefits to the public, such as greater convenience, increased competition, or gains in efficiency that outweigh possible adverse effects, such as undue concentration of resources, decreased or unfair competition, conflicts of interest, or unsound banking practices. Applicant believes that the proposed activities will benefit the public by promoting competition and by providing a wider range of services and added convenience to Company's customers. Thus, Applicant believes that the proposed activities will result in benefits to the public that would outweigh any adverse effects associated with the proposal. In publishing the proposal for comment, the Board does not take a position on issues raised by the proposal. Notice of the proposal is published solely in order to seek the views of interested persons on the issues presented by the application and does not represent a determination by the Board that the proposal meets, or is likely to meet, the standards of the BHC Act. Any views or requests for hearing should be submitted in writing and received by William W. Wiles, Secretary, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, Washington, DC 20551, not later than July 6, 1994. Any request for hearing on this application must, as required by Sec. 262.3(e) of the Board's Rules of Procedure (12 CFR 262.3(e)), be accompanied by a statement of the reasons why a written presentation would not suffice in lieu of a hearing, identifying specifically any questions of fact that are in dispute, summarizing the evidence that would be presented at a hearing, and indicating how the party commenting would be aggrieved by approval of the proposal. This application may be inspected at the offices of the Board of Governors or the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, June 7, 1994. Jennifer J. Johnson, Associate Secretary of the Board. [FR Doc. 94-14263 Filed 6-10-94; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6210-01-F