Pursuant to the Norges Bank Act and the Payment Systems Act, Norges Bank shall contribute to a robust and efficient financial system. Norges Bank therefore monitors financial institutions, securities markets and payments systems in order to detect any trends that may weaken the stability of the financial system. Should a situation arise in which financial stability is threatened, Norges Bank and other authorities will, if necessary, implement measures to strengthen the financial system. The Financial Stability report contains information gathered by Norges Bank through its monitoring work. The purpose of publishing the report is to highlight factors of importance to financial stability. The report is published twice a year. It forms the basis for a submission from Norges Bank to the Ministry of Finance containing an assessment of the stability of the financial system.