Quote:
Originally Posted by spunkmaster
I read the entire Gov't report and it says that derivatives are less risky then loans and pose less risk to the Banks ?
I looks like a never ending hedge against losses that gets sold over and over again so that $1 ends up with $10 in insurance to cover any losses ?
I still don't get how much exposure the Banks actually have ?
Is their exposure on the $1 or the $10 ?
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I think that is a major part of the uncertainty involved. No one, it seems, is able to calculate how secure or insecure some of these derivative bets are, nor the actual amount of assets involved, etc. With so much uncertainty, the banks are reluctant to make loans and part with whatever money they have, because whatever "bailout" funds they might be given pale compared to the amount of their potential exposure. Thing is, as all these institutions are making bets against themselves, one going down could take down several others.