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Financial Crisis of 2007-2008. [i.e. what we’re going to discuss, teach and write about during the next 1 0 years]. Prof. Marian Moszoro, PhD November 12th , 2008. Origin. real estate prices had NEVER fallen all bad debts CAN’T default at the same time
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Financial Crisis of 2007-2008 [i.e. what we’re going to discuss, teach and write about during the next 10 years] Prof. Marian Moszoro, PhD November 12th, 2008
Origin • real estate prices had NEVER fallen • all bad debts CAN’T default at the same time • Subprime bonds = „sophisticated” asset-backed securitized mortgages = from junk to AAA ratings • ... and what should have NEVER theoretically happened, HAPPENED: real estate prices went down and AAA bonds defaulted, banks went bankrupt and the system collapsed
Origin (2) • real estate prices had NEVER fallen
Origin (3) - Theethicaldimension • Many layers failed living up to ethical standards: • The subprime broker selling mortgages to people who could not afford it • The retail banker selling CDOs (or funds loaded up of CDOs) to people not understanding the products • The people involved in favorable market-to-market • The people involved in securitization of what were always inflammable products • The risk managers not understanding the structural change or even worse, understanding it but not adjusting it • CEOs, CIOs being happy with superior performance without questioning • The shareholders punishing conservative performance • Academics? Aren’twe supposed to explain not only the past? When we think people are jeopardizing the future, shouldn’t we make noise?
As in war times • Sept. 24, 2008 - prime time address of the President of the United States • „This crisis is an economic Pearl Harbor. I know it sounds melodramatic, but I haven’t used this term before.” - Warren Buffet, in „The Charlie Rose Show”, Oct. 02, 2008 • 26 judicial investigations against mortgage banks in East NY by Oct. 2008
New economic paradigms • Arrow-Lind theorem (1970) in practice? • National interventionism • Paulson’s plan and Bush’s argument for $700bn aid to the financial sector • UK, Ireland, Benelux, Russia, France, Italy, Germany... • Global interventionism - sovereign funds • Citigroup: $7.5bn (4.9% of Citi's total shares outstanding) from Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (Nov. 2007) • UBS: $10bn from the Singapore government and an unnamed Middle East investor (Dec. 2007) • Iceland: €4bn credit from Russian government
New economic paradigms (2)Curiousobservations • Interest rates: • During the Asian financial crisis of 1997, the World Bank and IMF called affected countries to rise interest rates to 25-40 percent... • ... on Oct. 9, 2008 six major central banks -in an unprecedented synchronized action- cut rates by 50 bp • Public aid: • governments can save banks with tacit EU Commission approval... • ... but Poland cannot save shipyards with public funds (SIC!) • China: • $584bn economic and infrastructure stimulus plan (Nov. 11, 2008)
Any safe havens? • World Equities Nov. 12, 2008 -6 months
Any safe havens (2) • Currencies Nov. 12, 2008 -6 months, performance compared to US$
Any safe havens (3) • Commodities vs. Dow Jones (Nov. 12, 2008)
Any safehavens (4) • Gold vs. Dow Jones (Nov. 12, 2008)
Any safehavens (5) • Bonds (US Yield Curve Nov. 12, 2008) • ... but that’s also recognizing the public sector as a „better investor”
By theway... • Bonds (UK Yield Curve Nov. 12, 2008) • 150 bp down = biggestinterestcutindecades
Lessons learned • The value of TRUST • Diversification of growth sources • Once good, now bad examples: Ireland, Spain (housing, tourism) • Common sense (which is the least common of the senses) • do the financial math, but also crunch the fundamentals • eat humble pie: we don’t know everything about finance yet • B2B (Back-to-Basis) • the real economic wealth is in the REAL economy • finance is ancillary to business • ... To be continued... [10 years]
Consequences for Poland • Bad news... • Less export • Less FDI • Less liquidity in the debt market • PE reluctant to invest • Interest rates rising due to uncertainty Middle-term depreciation of Polish Zloty
Consequences for Poland (2) • ... but also good news (if we are able to discount the opportunities) • Cheaper inputs (mainly oil and energy) • Cheaper capital investments • Some companies are liquid and sitting on cash • Poland as destination of capital (the economy slowing down, but still growing fast) • Polish companies on the buyer side of M&A’s Qualitative jump forward
Recommendations • Non-quoted SME’s in emerging economies • Strong fundamentals in real business • Don’t have access to bank loans neither to PE financing right now • Underpriced (low multiples) • Bonds in countries with strengthening currencies - USA, China, Japan
Conclusion „A aguas revueltas, ganancia de pescadores” In a free translation: In turbulent waters, fishmen make profits
Complementary readings • Global Financial Stability Report - Financial Stress and Deleveraging. Macro-Financial Implications and Policy. International Monetary Fund, October 2008: http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/gfsr/2008/02/index.htm • Taking Hard New Look at a Greenspan Legacy, by Peter Goodman, New York Times, October 8, 2008: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/09/business/economy/09greenspan.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1