Chapter 39: Sources of Risk Flashcards
6 Major types of risk faced by a financial organisations
C - credit risk O - operational risk M - market risk B - business risk L - liquidity risk E - external risk
4 Financial risks
- Market
- Credit
- Business
- Liquidity
2 Non-financial risks
- external
- operational
Systematic risk
Risk that affects an entire financial market or system and cannot be diversified away.
Diversifiable risk
arises from an individual component of a financial market or system and can be diversified away.
Credit risk
Credit risk is the risk of failure of 3rd parties to repay debts.
the principles of good lending relate to (4)
- character and ability of the borrower
- purpose of the loan
- amount of the lown
- ability of the borrower to repay
Marketability
The ease with which an asset can be converted into cash.
The amount of cash received is unimportant.
Liquidity
A measure of how quickly the asset can be converted into cash at a predictable price.
Liquidity risk
the risk that the individual or company, although solvent, does not have available sufficient financial resources to enable it to meet its obligations as they fall due, or can secure such resources only at excessive cost.
Market risk
Risks related to changes in investment market values or other features correlated with investment markets.
3 Types of market risk
- consequences of changes in asset values
- consequences of investment market value changes on liabilities
- consequences of mismatching assets & liabilities
Operational risk
Risk of loss resulting from inadequate or failed internal processes, people and systems or from external events.
Operational risk can arise from (4)
- inadequate internal processes, people or systems
- dominance of a single individual (dominance risk)
- reliance on 3rd parties
- the failure of plans to recover from an external event.
External risk
Arise from external events such as storm, fire, flood or terrorist attack.
However the failure to arrange mitigation against such risks is an operational risk.
Counterparty risk
Where one party to a transaction fails to meet their side of the bargain.
Security
Security is a way of enhancing the lender’s position.
The decision as to what security is taken is dependent on (5)
- what security is AVAILABLE.
- the NATURE of the transaction underlying the borrowing
- the COVENANT of the borrower
- MARKET CIRCUMSTANCES
- the comparative NEGOTIATING STRENGTH of lender and borrower
The lender must be able to realise the security if necessary in a cost-effective manner.
Credit rating
Given to a company’s debt by a credit-rating agency as an indication of creditworthiness, ie the likelihood of default/credit loss.
Asset value changes can result from (2)
- changes in the market values of equities and property.
- Changes in interest and inflation rates.
In practice a perfect Asset / Liability match may be impossible because (4)
- may not be a wide enough range of assets available (in particular it is unusual to find assets of long enough duration)
- liabilities may inclued options and hence have uncertain cashflows after the option date
- liabilities may include discretionary benefits.
- cost of maintaining a fully-matched portfolio is likely to be prohibitive.
2 Consequences of mismatching
- higher liquidity risk
- reinvestment risk - the risk of having to invest asset proceeds on unknown terms.
7 areas of risks for insurance companies
- claims
- withdrawals
- expenses
- mix of business
- options and guarantees offered
- reinsurance.