Monday, May 24, 2021

On the morality of current banker's decisions

A banker confronts a choice:

On one hand, Alt. A, a number of not so creditworthy borrowers who are asking for small loans, accepting to pay what could rightly be deemed a bit higher interest rate than what the risk adjusted interest rate should be.

On the other hand, Alt. B, a very creditworthy borrower, that is asking for a very large loan, at a rate lower than what an adequate risk adjusted interest rate should be.

Years ago, the banker would gladly gone for Alt. A, but, after the introduction of risk weighted bank capital requirements, which mean banks can leverage much more with what’s more creditworthy than with what’s less so, means the bank would obtain a higher risk adjusted return on its equity with Alt. B.

A banker has to pick Alt B. or he’s toast… and so he picks it… (that is unless he would not want to be a banker any more… and instead, like George Banks, go and fly a kite)

In reference to Per Bylund’s twitter thread on “morality of actions”, how would you classify the banker’s action.