Collapse. The story of the international financial crisis, its causes and policy consequences
Stellenbosch Working Paper Series No. WP02/2011Publication date: 2011
Author(s):
This paper is the story of success and failure in the financial markets, the markets for goods and services and in politics. It is a difficult story to tell because the crisis had many causes, but the focus here is on three main factors. First, the incentives that contributed to a credit-fuelled bubble, especially in property markets. Monetary and regulatory policies feature prominently in this part of the story. Second, because the housing bubble alone cannot explain the magnitude of the subsequent events, gearing in the financial sector, which affected asset markets unrelated to sub-prime mortgages will be examined. These developments are explained by reference to private financial sector decisions, including the role of the shadow-banking sector, and their regulatory backdrop. Finally, an answer will be sought to the question of how highly geared banks first became fragile and then failed with such dire consequences for the economy that massive policy intervention had become essential. The consequences of these large policy interventions and the international tensions caused by them are also explored.
JEL Classification:G01, G20, G28, E58
Keywords:Financial crisis, Banks, Financial regulation, Monetary policy, Fiscal policy, Currency wars
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26 Apr 2024The most anticipated data release of the week was yesterday's US GDP print, which created more turmoil than usual by not meeting expectations. Growth was much weaker than expected in Q1, while price pressure remained red hot. Meanwhile, the local data calendar was quiet, with a slight acceleration in factory gate inflation and a welcome uptick in the...
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