The biggest risks to the UK financial system

According to the latest Systemic Risk Survey by the Bank of England, the biggest source of risk to the UK financial system is currently the country's political situation - read 'Brexit'. 91 percent of the executives responsible for a market participant's risk management or treasury functions named this as one of their top five. Looking back to the second half of 2011, 'UK political risk' garnered a mere one percent of responses. Back then, the risk of a UK economic downturn was the key worry, with 62 percent. Also of interest is the rising prominence of cyber attacks. In 2011, this was selected by 3 percent of respondents. After going over the 50 percent mark for the first time in the first half of 2017, 57 percent now cite it as a source of risk.