For many years the regulatory capital of commercial banks in the United States has been based on the book value of assets and liabilities. That has changed with the implementation of Fair Value Measurements in FAS 157. Now banks and regulators must view capital from a Fair Value perspective....

For many years the regulatory capital of commercial banks in the United States has been based on the book value of assets and liabilities. That has changed with the implementation of Fair Value Measurements in FAS 157. Now banks and regulators must view capital from a Fair Value perspective....

In 2001, goodwill amortization in the US was eliminated in favor of an impairment-only approach, which, according to critics, gives managers vast discretion and opportunities for earnings management. Prior research suggests that discretionary asset write-offs are associated with economic factors...