Ratings, Rating Agencies and the Global Financial System


Book Description

Ratings, Rating Agencies and the Global Financial System brings together the research of economists at New York University and the University of Maryland, along with those from the private sector, government bodies, and other universities. The first section of the volume focuses on the historical origins of the credit rating business and its present day industrial organization structure. The second section presents several empirical studies crafted largely around individual firm-level or bank-level data. These studies examine (a) the relationship between ratings and the default and recovery experience of corporate borrowers, (b) the comparability of credit ratings made by domestic and foreign rating agencies, and (c) the usefulness of financial market indicators for rating banks, among other topics. In the third section, the record of sovereign credit ratings in predicting financial crises and the reaction of financial markets to changes in credit ratings is examined. The final section of the volume emphasizes policy issues now facing regulators and credit rating agencies.







The Independence of Credit Rating Agencies


Book Description

The Independence of Credit Rating Agencies focuses on the institutional and regulatory dynamics of these agencies, asking whether their business models give them enough independence to make viable judgments without risking their own profitability. Few have closely examined the analytical methods of credit rating agencies, even though their decisions can move markets, open or close the doors to capital, and bring down governments. The 2008 financial crisis highlighted their importance and their shortcomings, especially when they misjudged the structured financial products that precipitated the collapse of Bear Stearns and other companies. This book examines the roles played by rating agencies during the financial crisis, illuminating the differences between U.S. and European rating markets, and also considers subjects such as the history of rating agencies and the roles played by smaller agencies to present a well-rounded portrait. - Reports on one of the key causes of the 2008 financial crisis: agencies that failed to understand how to analyze financial products - Describes inherent business model and pricing conflicts that compromise the independence of credit rating agencies - Reveals how rating agencies large and small, regulatory bodies, and vested interests interact in setting fees and policies




The Credit Rating Industry


Book Description

This study provides a comprehensive analysis of credit rating economics and draws conclusions on the nature of regulation. It starts with an overview of the credit rating industry and introduces a framework that structures multiple rating agency functions. At the heart of the credit rating business model lies the reputation mechanism, which is analyzed in detail. After analyzing the reputation mechanism, the study takes a wider look at the industry and identifies the forces behind credit rating supply and demand. From an industrial organization perspective competition in the credit rating industry is limited. A comprehensive review of potential reasons for regulating the credit rating industry, however, reveals that there are only few compelling arguments. The regulatory approaches of the EU under the Capital Requirements Directive of 2005 and the USA under the Credit Rating Agency Reform Act of 2006 are contrasted against an optimal regulatory regime.




Handbook of Key Global Financial Markets, Institutions, and Infrastructure


Book Description

Understanding twenty-first century global financial integration requires a two-part background. The Handbook of Key Global Financial Markets, Institutions, and Infrastructure begins its description of how we created a financially-intergrated world by first examining the history of financial globalization, from Roman practices and Ottoman finance to Chinese standards, the beginnings of corporate practices, and the advent of efforts to safeguard financial stability. It then describes the architecture itself by analyzing its parts, such as markets, institutions, and infrastructure. The contributions of sovereign funds, auditing regulation, loan markets, property rights, compensation practices, Islamic finance, and others to the global architecture are closely examined. For those seeking substantial, authoritative descriptions and summaries, this volume will replace books, journals, and other information sources with a single, easy-to-use reference work. - Substantial articles by top scholars sets this volume apart from other information sources - Diverse international perspectives result in new opportunities for analysis and research - Rapidly developing subjects will interest readers well into the future




Credit Ratings and Market Over-reliance


Book Description

Taking position from the recent 2007-2009 financial crisis, Credit Ratings and Market Over-reliance: An International Legal Analysis by Francesco De Pascalis provides an in depth legal and regulatory analysis of the concept of over-reliance in the use of ratings and how regulation facilitates over-reliance is different from mere reliance on credit ratings. Not only does the book provide an incisive doctrinal analysis of the concept of over-reliance, it also considers over-reliance from a comparative and international perspective by reviewing legal and regulatory developments under European Union and US law and how over-reliance has been addressed in international financial regulation.




Credit Scoring, Response Modelling and Insurance Rating


Book Description

Every year, financial services organizations make billions of dollars worth of decisions using automated systems. For example, who to give a credit card to and the premium someone should pay for their home insurance. This book explains how the forecasting models, that lie at the heart of these systems, are developed and deployed.




Credit Risk Scorecards


Book Description

Praise for Credit Risk Scorecards "Scorecard development is important to retail financial services in terms of credit risk management, Basel II compliance, and marketing of credit products. Credit Risk Scorecards provides insight into professional practices in different stages of credit scorecard development, such as model building, validation, and implementation. The book should be compulsory reading for modern credit risk managers." —Michael C. S. Wong Associate Professor of Finance, City University of Hong Kong Hong Kong Regional Director, Global Association of Risk Professionals "Siddiqi offers a practical, step-by-step guide for developing and implementing successful credit scorecards. He relays the key steps in an ordered and simple-to-follow fashion. A 'must read' for anyone managing the development of a scorecard." —Jonathan G. Baum Chief Risk Officer, GE Consumer Finance, Europe "A comprehensive guide, not only for scorecard specialists but for all consumer credit professionals. The book provides the A-to-Z of scorecard development, implementation, and monitoring processes. This is an important read for all consumer-lending practitioners." —Satinder Ahluwalia Vice President and Head-Retail Credit, Mashreqbank, UAE "This practical text provides a strong foundation in the technical issues involved in building credit scoring models. This book will become required reading for all those working in this area." —J. Michael Hardin, PhD Professor of StatisticsDepartment of Information Systems, Statistics, and Management ScienceDirector, Institute of Business Intelligence "Mr. Siddiqi has captured the true essence of the credit risk practitioner's primary tool, the predictive scorecard. He has combined both art and science in demonstrating the critical advantages that scorecards achieve when employed in marketing, acquisition, account management, and recoveries. This text should be part of every risk manager's library." —Stephen D. Morris Director, Credit Risk, ING Bank of Canada







Regulating Credit Rating Agencies


Book Description

øŠAline Darbellay analyzes the obvious system relevance of credit rating agencies in depth and assesses the possible options for regulatory responses to this systemic issue. Thereby, the book is based on a fruitful comparative legal approach and formul