Wednesday, July 3, 2013

Mr. Fed some few questions on Basel III, bank capital, mortgages, jobs, "the absolutely safe", and the "risky"

And so Mr. Fed you will still allow banks to hold less capital against mortgages than against loans to businesses, only because, like the Basel Committee, you feels the former poses less risk for our banks. But frankly, Mr. Fed, long term, for the economy, and for the banks… how safe are houses without jobs?

And Mr. Fed you will equally still allow for capital requirements that are much smaller for exposures to what is considered (ex-ante) absolutely safe, than for exposures considered "risky".

Mr. Fed, could it really be that you do not understand that allowing banks to earn higher expected risk adjusted returns on their equity on assets perceived as “absolutely safe”, than on assets perceived as “risky”, introduces the mother of all distortions, which makes it impossible for banks to allocate resources efficiently in the real economy? 

Mr. Fed could it really be that you do not understand how the previous distortion destroys most of the effects on the real economy your quantitative easing programs could produce? 

Mr. Fed could it really be that you do not understand that the most important factor in keeping the banking system strong and healthy is a strong and healthy real economy?

Mr. Fed could it really be that you do not understand that there are no dangers for the banking system in waters perceived as risky, and that all the dangers to it lie in waters perceived as absolutely safe.

Mr. Fed do you not know Mark Twain said “It ain’t what you don’t know that gets you into trouble. It’s what you know for sure that just ain’t so”?