The Financial Stability report focuses on the prospects for banks’ earnings and financial strength and the risk factors to which banks are exposed. The analysis is based on the same assessment of developments in the Norwegian and global economy as in the previous Monetary Policy Report. It is of particular interest to analyse how robust banks are to severe economic shocks. Stress testing of bank solvency in the Financial Stability report is therefore ordinarily based on alternative scenarios for the economy ahead with a lower probability of being realised than the alternative scenarios analysed in the Monetary Policy Report. The Financial Stability report is submitted to the Executive Board where the main conclusions are discussed. Against the background of the analyses and discussion, the Board adopts recommendations concerning policy actions. The Executive Board’s assessments are presented in the report and submitted in a separate letter to the Ministry of Finance. From 2013, Norges Bank will apply a new reporting structure. The experiences of the financial crisis clearly demonstrated that developments in the real and financial economy are closely interwoven. The Bank has concluded that it is of benefit to incorporate these analyses into a joint report with a view to their further development. At the same time, the Ministry of Finance has communicated that Norges Bank will be tasked, as from 2013, with elaborating a decision basis and issuing advice to the Ministry on countercyclical capital buffer requirements for banks. From 2013, Norges Bank will publish four reports per year, which will form a decision basis for monetary policy and advice on countercyclical capital buffers. In addition to the four reports, Norges Bank will publish a report on the structure and vulnerability of the financial system.