shadow banking

A Brief History of Securitization

Or....

Shadow Bankers Gone Wild

 

 

Preamble

Recently the New York Times published yet another article expressing surprise at the previous existence of securitized financial instruments prior to the last several decades. Securitized financial instruments, or actually securitization, has been around for at least several centuries, and whenever it becomes widely used a Great Depression, or economic meltdown, ensues.

This is the foundation for that bandied about term, “shadow banking.” Without securitization, there would be no such capability. With securitization, the process for creating debt-financed billionaires and multi-millionaires reaches critical mass.

Unfortunately, so to does the dramatic increase in unemployment and poverty.

Those so-called “experts” or “pundits” who continue misleading the populace with extravagant claims as to the recent origins of the securitization process have done a major disservice to society. This brief blog will attempt to rectify this situation.

What is Behind the Curtain - Lehman CDS Auction Gives a Hint

Wizard of Oz Behind the Curtain

 

The Final Price for Lehman Brothers CDS auction is 8.625. That's 8.625% on the dollar and is much less than what was expected, 9.75.

 

That means CDS Lehman sellers have to pony up 91.375 cents on the dollar. That's the Biggest Payout Ever and will assuredly result in further write downs and losses for these sellers.