Scenarios include sensitivity analysis, which moves only one risk factor, and scenario analysis, which moves many risk factors at once. Scenario analysis in turn divides into historical scenarios, which apply the moves of past crises, and hypothetical scenarios, which assume moves not seen in the past. Consider a hypothetical example in which the position is long equity index futures equivalent to 10 billion yen. A scenario in which stock prices fall 20% gives a loss of 2 billion yen, and a scenario in which they rise 20% gives a gain of 2 billion yen. The results are used to set risk limits, report to senior management, and plan capital and liquidity.
Stress testing
- Japanese
- ストレステスト
- Last reviewed
- September 26, 2026
This is a draft, shown for review before publication.
Stress testing is a method that assumes large market moves or severe economic conditions and estimates how much a financial institution's positions would lose and how much its capital would be eroded under them. It is used to show rare, large losses that VaR, which relies on past data, has difficulty capturing.
Related terms
Explained in detail
Pages that use this term
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- Value at Risk (VaR)
- Exposure Measures: CE, PFE, EE/EPE and EAD
- Risk Reduction through Netting and Collateral
- Counterparty Risk and XVA
- Handling Margin Calls
- Funds Transfer Pricing (FTP)
- Daily Risk Management Operations
- Front-to-Back System Architecture
- Market Data Management
- Central Counterparties: JSCC, LCH, CME and Others
- CCP Default Management
- Limit Frameworks
- Supervisory Guidelines of the Financial Services Agency
- EMIR
- The Collapse of LTCM