Causes of Financial Crisis

8/8/2019 Causes of Financial Crisis

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Prepared for Members and Committees of Congress


2/10

The current financial crisis began in August 2007, when financial stability replaced inflation as

the Federal Reserves chief concern. The roots of the crisis go back much further, and there are

various views on the fundamental causes.

It is generally accepted that credit standards in U.S. mortgage lending were relaxed in the early

2000s, and that rising rates of delinquency and foreclosures delivered a sharp shock to a range of

U.S. financial institutions. Beyond that point of agreement, however, there are many questions

that will be debated by policymakers and academics for decades.

Why did the financial shock from the housing market downturn prove so difficult to contain?

Why did the tools the Fed used successfully to limit damage to the financial system from previous

shocks (the Asian crises of 1997-1998, the stock market crashes of 1987 and 2000-2001, the junk

bond debacle in 1989, the savings and loan crisis, 9/11, and so on) fail to work this time? If we

accept that the origins are in the United States, why were so many financial systems around the

world swept up in the panic?

To what extent were long-term developments in financial markets to blame for the instability?

Derivatives markets, for example, were long described as a way to spread financial risk more

efficiently, so that market participants could bear only those risks they understood. Did

derivatives, and other risk management techniques, actually increase risk and instability under

crisis conditions? Was there too much reliance on computer models of market performance? Did

those models reflect only the post-WWII period, which may now come to be viewed not as a

typical 60-year period, suitable for use as a baseline for financial forecasts, but rather as an

unusually favorable period that may not recur?

Did government actions inadvertently create the conditions for crisis? Did regulators fail to use

their authority to prevent excessive risk-taking, or was their jurisdiction too limited and/or

compartmentalized?

While some may insist that there is a single cause, and thus a simple remedy, the sheer number of

causal factors that have been identified tends to suggest that the current financial situation is not

yet fully understood in its full complexity. This report consists of a table that summarizes very

briefly some of the arguments for particular causes, presents equally brief rejoinders, and includes

a reference or two for further reading. It will be updated as required by market developments.


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The financial crisis that began in 2007 spread and gathered intensity in 2008, despite the efforts

of central banks and regulators to restore calm. By early 2009, the financial system and the global

economy appeared to be locked in a descending spiral, and the primary focus of policy becamethe prevention of a prolonged downturn on the order of the Great Depression.

The volume and variety of negative financial news, and the seeming impotence of policy

responses, has raised new questions about the origins of financial crises and the market

mechanisms by which they are contained or propagated. Just as the economic impact of financial

market failures in the 1930s remains an active academic subject, it is likely that the causes of the

current crisis will be debated for decades to come.

This report sets out in tabular form a number of the factors that have been identified as causes of

the crisis. The left column ofTable 1 below summarizes the causal role of each such factor. The

next column presents a brief rejoinder to that argument. The right-hand column contains a

reference for further reading. Where text is given in quotation marks, the reference in the right

column is the source, unless otherwise specified.


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T a b l e 1 . C a u s e s o f t h e F i n a n c i a l C r i s i s

C a u s e A r g u m e n t R e j o i n d e r

I m p r u d e n t

M o r t g a g e L e n d i n g

A g a i n s t a b a c k d r o p o f a b u n d a n t c r e d i t , l o w i n t e r e s t r a t e s , a n d

r i s i n g h o u s e p r i c e s , l e n d i n g s t a n d a r d s w e r e r e l a x e d t o t h e p o i n t

t h a t m a n y p e o p l e w e r e a b l e t o b u y h o u s e s t h e y c o u l d n t a f f o r d .

W h e n p r i c e s b e g a n t o f a l l a n d l o a n s s t a r t e d g o i n g b a d , t h e r e w a s

a s e v e r e s h o c k t o t h e f i n a n c i a l s y s t e m .

I m p r u d e n t l e n d i n g c e r t a i n l y p l a y e d a r o l e ,

b u t s u b p r i m e l o a n s ( a b o u t $ 1 1 . 5

t r i l l i o n c u r r e n t l y o u t s t a n d i n g ) w e r e a

r e l a t i v e l y s m a l l p a r t o f t h e o v e r a l l U . S .

m o r t g a g e m a r k e t ( a b o u t $ 1 1 t r i l l i o n ) a n d

o f t o t a l c r e d i t m a r k e t d e b t o u t s t a n d i n g

( a b o u t $ 5 0 t r i l l i o n ) .

H o u s i n g B u b b l e W i t h i t s e a s y m o n e y p o l i c i e s , t h e F e d e r a l R e s e r v e a l l o w e d

h o u s i n g p r i c e s t o r i s e t o u n s u s t a i n a b l e l e v e l s . T h e c r i s i s w a s

t r i g g e r e d b y t h e b u b b l e b u r s t i n g , a s i t w a s b o u n d t o d o .

I t i s d i f f i c u l t t o i d e n t i f y a b u b b l e u n t i l i t

b u r s t s , a n d F e d a c t i o n s t o s u p p r e s s t h e

b u b b l e m a y d o m o r e d a m a g e t o t h e

e c o n o m y t h a n w a i t i n g a n d r e s p o n d i n g t o

t h e e f f e c t s o f t h e b u b b l e b u r s t i n g .

G l o b a l I m b a l a n c e s G l o b a l f i n a n c i a l f l o w s h a v e b e e n c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n r e c e n t y e a r s b y

a n u n s u s t a i n a b l e p a t t e r n : s o m e c o u n t r i e s ( C h i n a , J a p a n , a n d

G e r m a n y ) r u n l a r g e s u r p l u s e s e v e r y y e a r , w h i l e o t h e r s ( l i k e t h e

U . S a n d U . K . ) r u n d e f i c i t s . T h e U . S . e x t e r n a l d e f i c i t s h a v e b e e n

m i r r o r e d b y i n t e r n a l d e f i c i t s i n t h e h o u s e h o l d a n d g o v e r n m e n t

s e c t o r s . U . S . b o r r o w i n g c a n n o t c o n t i n u e i n d e f i n i t e l y ; t h e

r e s u l t i n g s t r e s s u n d e r l i e s c u r r e n t f i n a n c i a l d i s r u p t i o n s .

N o n e o f t h e a d j u s t m e n t s t h a t w o u l d

r e v e r s e t h e f u n d a m e n t a l i m b a l a n c e s h a s

y e t o c c u r r e d . T h a t i s , t h e r e h a s n o t b e e n

a s h a r p f a l l i n t h e d o l l a r s e x c h a n g e v a l u e ,

a n d U . S . d e f i c i t s p e r s i s t .

S e c u r i t i z a t i o n S e c u r i t i z a t i o n f o s t e r e d t h e o r i g i n a t e - t o - d i s t r i b u t e m o d e l , w h i c h

r e d u c e d l e n d e r s i n c e n t i v e s t o b e p r u d e n t , e s p e c i a l l y i n t h e f a c e

o f v a s t i n v e s t o r d e m a n d f o r s u b p r i m e l o a n s p a c k a g e d a s A A A

b o n d s . O w n e r s h i p o f m o r t g a g e - b a c k e d s e c u r i t i e s w a s w i d e l y

d i s p e r s e d , c a u s i n g r e p e r c u s s i o n s t h r o u g h o u t t h e g l o b a l s y s t e m

w h e n s u b p r i m e l o a n s w e n t b a d i n 2 0 0 7 .

M o r t g a g e l o a n s t h a t w e r e n o t s e c u r i t i z e d ,

b u t k e p t o n t h e o r i g i n a t i n g l e n d e r s

b o o k s , h a v e a l s o d o n e p o o r l y .


5/10


L a c k o f

T r a n s p a r e n c y a n d

A c c o u n t a b i l i t y i n

M o r t g a g e F i n a n c e

T h r o u g h o u t t h e h o u s i n g f i n a n c e v a l u e c h a i n , m a n y p a r t i c i p a n t s

c o n t r i b u t e d t o t h e c r e a t i o n o f b a d m o r t g a g e s a n d t h e s e l l i n g o f

b a d s e c u r i t i e s , a p p a r e n t l y f e e l i n g s e c u r e t h a t t h e y w o u l d n o t b e

h e l d a c c o u n t a b l e f o r t h e i r a c t i o n s . A l e n d e r c o u l d s e l l e x o t i c

m o r t g a g e s t o h o m e - o w n e r s , a p p a r e n t l y w i t h o u t f e a r o f

r e p e r c u s s i o n s i f t h o s e m o r t g a g e s f a i l e d . S i m i l a r l y , a t r a d e r c o u l d

s e l l t o x i c s e c u r i t i e s t o i n v e s t o r s , a p p a r e n t l y w i t h o u t f e a r o f

p e r s o n a l r e s p o n s i b i l i t y i f t h o s e c o n t r a c t s f a i l e d . A n d s o i t w a s f o r

b r o k e r s , r e a l t o r s , i n d i v i d u a l s i n r a t i n g a g e n c i e s , a n d o t h e r m a r k e t

p a r t i c i p a n t s , e a c h m a x i m i z i n g h i s o r h e r o w n g a i n a n d p a s s i n g

p r o b l e m s o n d o w n t h e l i n e u n t i l t h e s y s t e m i t s e l f c o l l a p s e d .

B e c a u s e o f t h e l a c k o f p a r t i c i p a n t a c c o u n t a b i l i t y , t h e o r i g i n a t e - t o -

d i s t r i b u t e m o d e l o f m o r t g a g e f i n a n c e , w i t h i t s o n c e g r e a t p r o m i s e

o f m a n a g i n g r i s k , b e c a m e i t s e l f a m a s s i v e g e n e r a t o r o f r i s k .

M a n y c o n t r a c t u a l a r r a n g e m e n t s d i d

p r o v i d e r e c o u r s e a g a i n s t s e l l e r s o r

i s s u e r s o f b a d m o r t g a g e s o r r e l a t e d

s e c u r i t i e s . M a n y n o n - b a n k m o r t g a g e

l e n d e r s f a i l e d b e c a u s e t h e y w e r e f o r c e d

t o t a k e b a c k l o a n s t h a t d e f a u l t e d , a n d

m a n y l a w s u i t s h a v e b e e n f i l e d a g a i n s t M B S

i s s u e r s a n d o t h e r s .

R a t i n g A g e n c i e s T h e c r e d i t r a t i n g a g e n c i e s g a v e A A A r a t i n g s t o n u m e r o u s i s s u e s

o f s u b p r i m e m o r t g a g e - b a c k e d s e c u r i t i e s , m a n y o f w h i c h w e r e

s u b s e q u e n t l y d o w n g r a d e d t o j u n k s t a t u s . C r i t i c s c i t e p o o r

e c o n o m i c m o d e l s , c o n f l i c t s o f i n t e r e s t , a n d l a c k o f e f f e c t i v e

r e g u l a t i o n a s r e a s o n s f o r t h e r a t i n g a g e n c i e s f a i l u r e . A n o t h e r

f a c t o r i s t h e m a r k e t s e x c e s s i v e r e l i a n c e o n r a t i n g s , w h i c h h a s

b e e n r e i n f o r c e d b y n u m e r o u s l a w s a n d r e g u l a t i o n s t h a t u s e

r a t i n g s a s a c r i t e r i o n f o r p e r m i s s i b l e i n v e s t m e n t s o r a s a f a c t o r i n

r e q u i r e d c a p i t a l l e v e l s .

A l l m a r k e t p a r t i c i p a n t s u n d e r e s t i m a t e d

r i s k , n o t j u s t t h e r a t i n g a g e n c i e s .

P u r c h a s e r s o f M B S w e r e m a i n l y

s o p h i s t i c a t e d i n s t i t u t i o n a l i n v e s t o r s , w h o

s h o u l d h a v e d o n e t h e i r o w n d u e d i l i g e n c e

i n v e s t i g a t i o n s i n t o t h e q u a l i t y o f t h e

i n s t r u m e n t s .

M a r k - t o - m a r k e t

A c c o u n t i n g

F A S B s t a n d a r d s r e q u i r e i n s t i t u t i o n s t o r e p o r t t h e f a i r ( o r c u r r e n t

m a r k e t ) v a l u e o f s e c u r i t i e s t h e y h o l d . C r i t i c s o f t h e r u l e a r g u e

t h a t t h i s f o r c e s b a n k s t o r e c o g n i z e l o s s e s b a s e d o n f i r e s a l e

p r i c e s t h a t p r e v a i l i n d i s t r e s s e d m a r k e t s , p r i c e s b e l i e v e d t o b e

b e l o w l o n g - t e r m f u n d a m e n t a l v a l u e s . T h o s e l o s s e s u n d e r m i n e

m a r k e t c o n f i d e n c e a n d e x a c e r b a t e b a n k i n g s y s t e m p r o b l e m s .

S o m e p r o p o s e s u s p e n d i n g m a r k - t o - m a r k e t ; E E S A r e q u i r e s a

s t u d y o f i t s i m p a c t .

M a n y v i e w u n c e r t a i n t y r e g a r d i n g f i n a n c i a l

i n s t i t u t i o n s t r u e c o n d i t i o n a s k e y t o t h e

c r i s i s . I f a c c o u n t i n g s t a n d a r d s h o w e v e r

i m p e r f e c t a r e r e l a x e d , f e a r s t h a t

p u b l i s h e d b a l a n c e s h e e t s a r e u n r e l i a b l e

w i l l g r o w .


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D e r e g u l a t o r y

L e g i s l a t i o n

L a w s s u c h a s t h e G r a m m - L e a c h - B l i l e y A c t ( G L B A ) a n d t h e

C o m m o d i t y F u t u r e s M o d e r n i z a t i o n A c t ( C F M A ) p e r m i t t e d

f i n a n c i a l i n s t i t u t i o n s t o e n g a g e i n u n r e g u l a t e d r i s k y t r a n s a c t i o n s

o n a v a s t s c a l e . T h e l a w s w e r e d r i v e n b y a n e x c e s s i v e f a i t h i n t h e

r o b u s t n e s s o f m a r k e t d i s c i p l i n e , o r s e l f - r e g u l a t i o n .

G L B A a n d C F M A d i d n o t p e r m i t t h e

c r e a t i o n o f u n r e g u l a t e d m a r k e t s a n d

a c t i v i t i e s ; t h e y s i m p l y c o d i f i e d e x i s t i n g

m a r k e t s a n d p r a c t i c e s . ( T h e r e i s t h i s

i d e a a f l o a t t h a t i f y o u h a d m o r e

r e g u l a t i o n y o u w o u l d h a v e f e w e r

m i s t a k e s , [ G r a m m ] s a i d . I d o n t s e e a n y

e v i d e n c e i n o u r h i s t o r y o r a n y b o d y e l s e s

t o s u b s t a n t i a t e i t . E r i c L i p t o n a n d

S t e p h e n L a b a t o n , T h e R e c k o n i n g :

D e r e g u l a t o r L o o k s B a c k , U n s w a y e d ,

N e w Y o r k T i m e s , N o v . 1 6 , 2 0 0 8 . )

S h a d o w B a n k i n g

S y s t e m

R i s k y f i n a n c i a l a c t i v i t i e s o n c e c o n f i n e d t o r e g u l a t e d b a n k s ( u s e o f

l e v e r a g e , b o r r o w i n g s h o r t - t e r m t o l e n d l o n g , , e t c . ) m i g r a t e d

o u t s i d e t h e e x p l i c i t g o v e r n m e n t s a f e t y n e t p r o v i d e d b y d e p o s i t

i n s u r a n c e a n d s a f e t y a n d s o u n d n e s s r e g u l a t i o n . M o r t g a g e l e n d i n g ,

i n p a r t i c u l a r , m o v e d o u t o f b a n k s i n t o u n r e g u l a t e d i n s t i t u t i o n s .

T h i s u n s u p e r v i s e d r i s k - t a k i n g a m o u n t e d t o a f i n a n c i a l h o u s e o f

c a r d s .

R e g u l a t e d b a n k s t h e r e c i p i e n t s o f m o s t

o f t h e $ 7 0 0 b i l l i o n T r e a s u r y T A R P

p r o g r a m h a v e n o t r e a l l y f a r e d m u c h

b e t t e r t h a n i n v e s t m e n t b a n k s , h e d g e

f u n d s , O T C d e r i v a t i v e s d e a l e r s , p r i v a t e

e q u i t y f i r m s , e t a l .

N o n - B a n k R u n s A s i n s t i t u t i o n s o u t s i d e t h e b a n k i n g s y s t e m b u i l t u p f i n a n c i a l

p o s i t i o n s b u i l t o n b o r r o w i n g s h o r t a n d l e n d i n g l o n g , t h e y b e c a m e

v u l n e r a b l e t o l i q u i d i t y r i s k i n t h e f o r m o f n o n - b a n k r u n s . T h a t i s ,

t h e y c o u l d f a i l i f m a r k e t s l o s t c o n f i d e n c e a n d r e f u s e d t o e x t e n d

o r r o l l o v e r s h o r t - t e r m c r e d i t , a s h a p p e n e d t o B e a r S t e a r n s a n d

o t h e r s .

L i q u i d i t y r i s k w a s a l w a y s p r e s e n t , a n d

r e c o g n i z e d , b u t i t s a p p e a r a n c e a t t h e

e x t r e m e l e v e l s o f t h e c u r r e n t c r i s i s w a s

n o t f o r e s e e a b l e .

O f f - B a l a n c e S h e e t

F i n a n c e

M a n y b a n k s e s t a b l i s h e d o f f - t h e - b o o k s s p e c i a l p u r p o s e e n t i t i e s

( i n c l u d i n g s t r u c t u r e d i n v e s t m e n t v e h i c l e s , o r S I V s ) t o e n g a g e i n

r i s k y s p e c u l a t i v e i n v e s t m e n t s . T h i s a l l o w e d b a n k s t o m a k e m o r e

l o a n s d u r i n g t h e e x p a n s i o n , b u t a l s o c r e a t e d c o n t i n g e n t l i a b i l i t i e s

t h a t , w i t h t h e o n s e t o f t h e c r i s i s , r e d u c e d m a r k e t c o n f i d e n c e i n

t h e b a n k s c r e d i t w o r t h i n e s s . A t t h e s a m e t i m e , t h e y h a d a l l o w e d

b a n k s t o h o l d l e s s c a p i t a l a g a i n s t p o t e n t i a l l o s s e s . I n v e s t o r s h a d

l i t t l e a b i l i t y t o u n d e r s t a n d b a n k s t r u e f i n a n c i a l p o s i t i o n s .

B e g i n n i n g i n t h e 1 9 9 0 s , b a n k s u p e r v i s o r s

a c t u a l l y e n c o u r a g e d o f f - b a l a n c e s h e e t

f i n a n c e a s a l e g i t i m a t e w a y t o m a n a g e

r i s k .

G o v e r n m e n t -

M a n d a t e d S u b p r i m e

L e n d i n g

F e d e r a l m a n d a t e s t o h e l p l o w - i n c o m e b o r r o w e r s ( e . g . , t h e

C o m m u n i t y R e i n v e s t m e n t A c t ( C R A ) a n d F a n n i e M a e a n d

F r e d d i e M a c s a f f o r d a b l e h o u s i n g g o a l s ) f o r c e d b a n k s t o e n g a g e i n

i m p r u d e n t m o r t g a g e l e n d i n g .

T h e s u b p r i m e m o r t g a g e b o o m w a s l e d b y

n o n - b a n k l e n d e r s ( n o t s u b j e c t t o C R A )

a n d s e c u r i t i z e d b y p r i v a t e i n v e s t m e n t

b a n k s r a t h e r t h a n t h e G S E s .


7/10


F a i l u r e o f R i s k

M a n a g e m e n t

S y s t e m s

S o m e f i r m s s e p a r a t e d a n a l y s i s o f m a r k e t r i s k a n d c r e d i t r i s k . T h i s

d i v i s i o n d i d n o t w o r k f o r c o m p l e x s t r u c t u r e d p r o d u c t s , w h e r e

t h o s e r i s k s w e r e i n d i s t i n g u i s h a b l e . C o l l e c t i v e c o m m o n s e n s e

s u f f e r e d a s a r e s u l t .

S e n i o r m a n a g e m e n t s r e s p o n s i b i l i t y h a s

a l w a y s b e e n t o b r i d g e t h i s k i n d o f g a p i n

r i s k a s s e s s m e n t .

F i n a n c i a l I n n o v a t i o n N e w i n s t r u m e n t s i n s t r u c t u r e d f i n a n c e d e v e l o p e d s o r a p i d l y t h a t

m a r k e t i n f r a s t r u c t u r e a n d s y s t e m s w e r e n o t p r e p a r e d w h e n

t h o s e i n s t r u m e n t s c a m e u n d e r s t r e s s . S o m e p r o p o s e t h a t

m a r k e t s i n n e w i n s t r u m e n t s s h o u l d b e g i v e n t i m e t o m a t u r e

b e f o r e t h e y a r e p e r m i t t e d t o a t t a i n a s y s t e m i c a l l y - s i g n i f i c a n t s i z e .

T h i s m e a n s g i v i n g a c c o u n t a n t s , r e g u l a t o r s , r a t i n g s a g e n c i e s , a n d

s e t t l e m e n t s y s t e m s t i m e t o c a t c h u p .

I n a g l o b a l m a r k e t p l a c e , i n n o v a t i o n w i l l

c o n t i n u e a n d n a t i o n a l r e g u l a t o r s

a t t e m p t s t o r e s t r a i n i t w i l l o n l y p u t t h e i r

c o u n t r i e s m a r k e t s a t a c o m p e t i t i v e

d i s a d v a n t a g e . M o r e o v e r , i t i s h a r d t o t e l l

i n a d v a n c e w h e t h e r i n n o v a t i o n s w i l l

s t a b i l i z e t h e s y s t e m o r t h e r e v e r s e .

C o m p l e x i t y T h e c o m p l e x i t y o f c e r t a i n f i n a n c i a l i n s t r u m e n t s a t t h e h e a r t o f

t h e c r i s i s h a d t h r e e e f f e c t s : ( 1 ) i n v e s t o r s w e r e u n a b l e t o m a k e

i n d e p e n d e n t j u d g m e n t s o n t h e m e r i t s o f i n v e s t m e n t s , ( 2 ) r i s k s o f

m a r k e t t r a n s a c t i o n s w e r e o b s c u r e d , a n d ( 3 ) r e g u l a t o r s w e r e

b a f f l e d .

S t a n d a r d e c o n o m i c t h e o r y a s s u m e s t h a t

i n v e s t o r s a c t r a t i o n a l l y i n t h e i r o w n s e l f -

i n t e r e s t , w h i c h i m p l i e s t h a t t h e y s h o u l d

o n l y t a k e r i s k s t h e y u n d e r s t a n d .

H u m a n F r a i l t y B e h a v i o r a l f i n a n c e p o s i t s t h a t i n v e s t o r s d o n o t a l w a y s m a k e

o p t i m a l c h o i c e s : t h e y s u f f e r f r o m b o u n d e d r a t i o n a l i t y a n d

l i m i t e d s e l f - c o n t r o l . R e g u l a t o r s o u g h t t o h e l p p e o p l e m a n a g e

c o m p l e x i t y t h r o u g h b e t t e r d i s c l o s u r e a n d b y r e i n f o r c i n g f i n a n c i a l

p r u d e n c e .

S i n c e r e g u l a t o r s a r e j u s t a s h u m a n a s

i n v e s t o r s , h o w c a n t h e y c o n s i s t e n t l y

r e c o g n i z e t h a t b e h a v i o r h a s b e c o m e

s u b o p t i m a l a n d t h a t m a r k e t s a r e h e a d e d

f o r a c r a s h ?

B a d C o m p u t e r

M o d e l s

E x p e c t a t i o n s o f t h e p e r f o r m a n c e o f c o m p l e x s t r u c t u r e d p r o d u c t s

l i n k e d t o m o r t g a g e s w e r e b a s e d o n o n l y a f e w d e c a d e s w o r t h o f

d a t a . I n t h e c a s e o f s u b p r i m e l o a n s , o n l y a f e w y e a r s o f d a t a w e r e

a v a i l a b l e . [ C ] o m p l e x s y s t e m s a r e n o t c o n f i n e d t o h i s t o r i c a l

e x p e r i e n c e . E v e n t s o f a n y s i z e a r e p o s s i b l e , a n d l i m i t e d o n l y b y

t h e s c a l e o f t h e s y s t e m i t s e l f .

B l a m i n g m o d e l s a n d t h e q u a n t s w h o

d e s i g n e d t h e m m i s t a k e s a s y m p t o m f o r a

c a u s e g a r b a g e i n , g a r b a g e o u t .

E x c e s s i v e L e v e r a g e I n t h e p o s t - 2 0 0 0 p e r i o d o f l o w i n t e r e s t r a t e s a n d a b u n d a n t

c a p i t a l , f i x e d i n c o m e y i e l d s w e r e l o w . T o c o m p e n s a t e , m a n y

i n v e s t o r s u s e d b o r r o w e d f u n d s t o b o o s t t h e r e t u r n o n t h e i r

c a p i t a l . E x c e s s i v e l e v e r a g e m a g n i f i e d t h e i m p a c t o f t h e h o u s i n g

d o w n t u r n , a n d d e l e v e r a g i n g c a u s e d t h e i n t e r b a n k c r e d i t m a r k e t

t o t i g h t e n .

L e v e r a g e i s o n l y a s y m p t o m o f t h e

u n d e r l y i n g p r o b l e m : m i s p r i c i n g o f r i s k a n d

a c r e d i t b u b b l e .


8/10


R e l a x e d R e g u l a t i o n

o f L e v e r a g e

T h e S E C l i b e r a l i z e d i t s n e t c a p i t a l r u l e i n 2 0 0 4 , a l l o w i n g

i n v e s t m e n t b a n k h o l d i n g c o m p a n i e s t o a t t a i n v e r y h i g h l e v e r a g e

r a t i o s . I t s C o n s o l i d a t e d S u p e r v i s e d E n t i t i e s p r o g r a m , w h i c h

a p p l i e d t o t h e l a r g e s t i n v e s t m e n t b a n k s , w a s v o l u n t a r y a n d

i n e f f e c t i v e .

T h e n e t c a p i t a l r u l e a p p l i e d o n l y t o t h e

r e g u l a t e d b r o k e r / d e a l e r u n i t ; t h e S E C

n e v e r h a d s t a t u t o r y a u t h o r i t y t o l i m i t

l e v e r a g e a t t h e h o l d i n g c o m p a n y l e v e l .

C r e d i t D e f a u l t

S w a p s ( C D S )

A n i n t e r e s t i n g p a r a d o x a r o s e , h o w e v e r , a s c r e d i t d e r i v a t i v e s

i n s t r u m e n t s , d e v e l o p e d i n i t i a l l y f o r r i s k m a n a g e m e n t , c o n t i n u e d

t o g r o w a n d b e c o m e m o r e s o p h i s t i c a t e d w i t h t h e h e l p o f

f i n a n c i a l e n g i n e e r i n g , t h e t a i l b e g a n w a g g i n g t h e d o g . I n b e c o m i n g

a m e d i u m f o r s p e c u l a t i v e t r a n s a c t i o n s , c r e d i t d e r i v a t i v e s

i n c r e a s e d , r a t h e r t h a n a l l e v i a t e d , r i s k .

S p e c u l a t i o n i n d e r i v a t i v e s g e n e r a l l y m a k e s

p r i c e s o f t h e u n d e r l y i n g c o m m o d i t i e s

m o r e s t a b l e . W e d o n o t k n o w w h y t h i s

r e l a t i o n s h i p s o m e t i m e s b r e a k s d o w n .

E v e n i n C D S , t h e f e a r e d e x p l o s i o n o f

d e f a u l t s h a s n o t h a p p e n e d , a l b e i t t h e

e x p e n s i v e r e s c u e o f A I G m a y h a v e

p r e v e n t e d s u c h a n e v e n t .

O v e r - t h e - C o u n t e r

D e r i v a t i v e s

B e c a u s e O T C d e r i v a t i v e s ( i n c l u d i n g c r e d i t s w a p s ) a r e l a r g e l y

u n r e g u l a t e d , l i m i t e d i n f o r m a t i o n a b o u t r i s k e x p o s u r e s i s a v a i l a b l e

t o r e g u l a t o r s a n d m a r k e t p a r t i c i p a n t s . T h i s h e l p s e x p l a i n t h e B e a r

S t e a r n s a n d A I G i n t e r v e n t i o n s : i n a d d i t i o n t o s u b s t a n t i a l l o s s e s t o

c o u n t e r p a r t i e s , a d e a l e r d e f a u l t c o u l d t r i g g e r p a n i c b e c a u s e o f

u n c e r t a i n t y a b o u t t h e e x t e n t a n d d i s t r i b u t i o n o f t h o s e l o s s e s .

T h e l a r g e s t O T C m a r k e t s i n t e r e s t r a t e

a n d c u r r e n c y s w a p s a p p e a r t o h a v e h e l d

u p f a i r l y w e l l .

F r a g m e n t e d

R e g u l a t i o n

U . S . f i n a n c i a l r e g u l a t i o n i s d i s p e r s e d a m o n g m a n y a g e n c i e s , e a c h

w i t h r e s p o n s i b i l i t y f o r a p a r t i c u l a r c l a s s o f f i n a n c i a l i n s t i t u t i o n . A s

a r e s u l t , n o a g e n c y i s w e l l - p o s i t i o n e d t o m o n i t o r e m e r g i n g

s y s t e m - w i d e p r o b l e m s .

C o u n t r i e s w i t h u n i f i e d r e g u l a t o r y

s t r u c t u r e s , s u c h a s J a p a n a n d t h e U K ,

h a v e n o t a v o i d e d t h e c r i s i s .

N o S y s t e m i c R i s k

R e g u l a t o r

N o r e g u l a t o r h a d c o m p r e h e n s i v e j u r i s d i c t i o n o v e r a l l

s y s t e m i c a l l y - i m p o r t a n t f i n a n c i a l i n s t i t u t i o n s . ( T h e F e d h a d t h e

r o l e o f s y s t e m i c r i s k r e g u l a t o r b y d e f a u l t , b u t l a c k e d a u t h o r i t y t o

o v e r s e e i n v e s t m e n t b a n k s , h e d g e f u n d s , n o n b a n k d e r i v a t i v e s

d e a l e r s , e t c . )

S o m e q u e s t i o n w h e t h e r t h e p r o b l e m w a s

l a c k o f a u t h o r i t y o r f a i l u r e t o u s e e x i s t i n g

r e g u l a t o r y p o w e r s e f f e c t i v e l y .

S h o r t - t e r m

I n c e n t i v e s

S i n c e t r a d e r s a n d m a n a g e r s a t m a n y f i n a n c i a l i n s t i t u t i o n s r e c e i v e

a l a r g e p a r t o f t h e i r c o m p e n s a t i o n i n t h e f o r m o f a n a n n u a l

b o n u s , t h e y l a c k i n c e n t i v e s t o a v o i d r i s k y s t r a t e g i e s l i a b l e t o f a i l

s p e c t a c u l a r l y e v e r y f i v e o r t e n y e a r s . S o m e p r o p o s e t o l i n k p a y

t o a r o l l i n g a v e r a g e o f f i r m p r o f i t s o r t o p u t b o n u s e s i n t o e s c r o w

f o r a c e r t a i n p e r i o d , o r t o i m p o s e h i g h e r c a p i t a l c h a r g e s o n b a n k s

t h a t m a i n t a i n c u r r e n t a n n u a l b o n u s p r a c t i c e s .

S h a r e h o l d e r s a l r e a d y h a v e i n c e n t i v e s a n d

a u t h o r i t y t o m o n i t o r c o r p o r a t e

c o m p e n s a t i o n s t r u c t u r e s a n d l e v e l s .


9/10


T a i l R i s k M a n y i n v e s t o r s a n d r i s k m a n a g e r s s o u g h t t o b o o s t t h e i r r e t u r n s

b y p r o v i d i n g i n s u r a n c e o r w r i t i n g o p t i o n s a g a i n s t l o w - p r o b a b i l i t y

f i n a n c i a l e v e n t s . ( C r e d i t d e f a u l t s w a p s a r e a g o o d e x a m p l e , b u t b y

n o m e a n s t h e o n l y o n e . ) T h e s e s t r a t e g i e s g e n e r a t e a s t r e a m o f

s m a l l g a i n s u n d e r n o r m a l m a r k e t c o n d i t i o n s , b u t c a u s e l a r g e

l o s s e s d u r i n g c r i s e s . W h e n m a r k e t p a r t i c i p a n t s k n o w t h a t m a n y

s u c h p o t e n t i a l l o s s e s a r e d i s t r i b u t e d t h r o u g h o u t t h e s y s t e m ( b u t

d o n o t k n o w e x a c t l y w h e r e , o r h o w l a r g e ) , u n c e r t a i n t y a n d f e a r

a r e e x a c e r b a t e d w h e n m a r k e t s c o m e u n d e r s t r e s s .

D i s p e r s a l o f s y s t e m a t i c r i s k v i a f i n a n c i a l

i n n o v a t i o n w a s b e l i e v e d t o m a k e t h e

f i n a n c i a l s y s t e m m o r e r e s i l i e n t t o s h o c k s .

B l a c k S w a n T h e o r y T h i s c r i s i s i s a o n c e - i n - a - c e n t u r y e v e n t , c a u s e d b y a c o n f l u e n c e o f

f a c t o r s s o r a r e t h a t i t i s i m p r a c t i c a l t o t h i n k o f e r e c t i n g

r e g u l a t o r y b a r r i e r s a g a i n s t r e c u r r e n c e s . A c c o r d i n g t o A l a n

G r e e n s p a n , s u c h r e g u l a t i o n w o u l d b e s o o n e r o u s a s t o b a s i c a l l y

s u p p r e s s t h e g r o w t h r a t e o f t h e e c o n o m y a n d . . . [ U . S . ] s t a n d a r d s

o f l i v i n g . T e s t i m o n y b e f o r e t h e H o u s e O v e r s i g h t a n d

G o v e r n m e n t R e f o r m C o m m i t t e e , O c t . 2 3 , 2 0 0 8 .

S o m e m i g h t b e t e m p t e d t o s e e r e c e n t

e v e n t s i n t h e f i n a n c i a l m a r k e t s a s j u s t

s u c h b l a c k s w a n s . B u t t h i s w o u l d b e q u i t e

w r o n g , i n o u r v i e w . M a n y o f t h e f l a w s

t h a t h a v e l e d t o c u r r e n t t u r b u l e n t

c o n d i t i o n s h a v e n o t r i d d e n o n t h e b a c k o f

a b l a c k s w a n . I n s t e a d , t h e y a r e t h e r e s u l t

o f w e a k n e s s e s a n d f a i l i n g s i n t h e

i n t e r p r e t a t i o n o f r i s k a n a l y s i s a n d t h e

p r o c e s s o f o v e r s i g h t . ( B o o t h a n d

M a z z a w i )

S o u r c e : T a b l e C o m p i l e d b y C R S .

N o t e : P a s s a g e s i n q u o t a t i o n m a r k s a r e f r o m t h e s o u r c e c i t e d i n t h e r i g h t - h a n d c o l u m n , u n l e s s o t h e r w i s e n o t e d .


10/10

Mark Jickling

Specialist in Financial Economics

[email protected], 7-7784

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Causes of Financial Crisis