Substantially revised and updated, this fourth edition of The UK financial system presents a comprehensive explanation of the workings of the institutions and markets making up the UK financial system. It also presents some key theoretical developments such as asymmetric information, the efficient markets hypothesis, behavioral economics and the term structure of interest rates, providing an analytical framework to aid understanding of the institutional structure. Recent changes covered include; the new framework for prudential regulation of the financial system with the new single regulator, the Financial Services Authority, the new framework for the operation of UK monetary policy and a comparison with the operations of the European Central Bank, the Cruickshank review of Banking Competition and the Myners review of institutional investment, global stock markets and the 'technology bubble' of the late 1990s, new developments in derivative markets and Basel II - the proposed capital adequacy accord. Several case studies are provided throughout the book examining the failure of various financial firms and the lessons that can be learned from them, including Equitable Life. Barings Bank, the Bank of International Credit and Commerce (BCCI) and Long Term Capital Management.