Defesa do Valor Justo

Depois dos ataques ao valor justo (aqui, por exemplo), o CFO do Bank of America defende o valor justo numa conferência do Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago dizendo que a avaliação faz o risco tornar-se mais transparente.

But while Bank of America CFO Joe Price said there was room to "re-examine and improve" it, fair value accounting, also known as "mark-to-market" is a key component "of risk control for market-based businesses."

(...) While fair value accounting will force some banks and brokerages to recognize massive losses stemming from a crisis like the ongoing credit crunch, "it is probably bringing to light some areas where the risk was underestimated, either in size or severity," Price said.

"We would assert that changing the applicable accounting system will not address the more fundamental question related to risk assessment," he said.

Price also defended the concept of "principle-based" accounting, in which companies are given more leeway to follow broad accounting guidelines, rather than the specific rules that have traditionally been followed in the United States.

The top six global accounting firms have been pushing for worldwide adoption of International Financial Reporting Standards, which are seen as principle-based, a trend Price called positive.

But he suggested that it will be tough to move toward IFRS without reforms that would prevent securities and class-action lawyers from suing over specific rule violations. (Reporting by Christian Plumb, editing by Dave Zimmerman)