Abstract:
In this paper, we discuss the history, macroeconomic conditions, and milestones of the US mortgage crisis that later resulted in the global liquidity and credit shortages. We also describe key investment banking and risk management practices that exacerbated the impact of the crisis, such as relying on an originate-to-distribute model, risk-shifting, securitization techniques, ratings processes and the use of off-balance sheet vehicles. Moreover, we address key lessons for risk management derived from the current crisis and recommend policies that should help diminish the negative impact of future potential crises.
