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Believe only what you see: credit rating agencies, structured finance, and bonds

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  • Mahmoud Elamin

Abstract

This paper identifies rating verifiability as a key difference that explains why credit rating agencies (CRAs) failed to mitigate information asymmetries in the structured finance market but succeeded in the bond market. Two infinitely repeated models are analyzed. In the first, the rating is unverifiable, and there is no equilibrium where the CRA reveals its information. In the second, the rating is verified with some probability, and full information revelation is guaranteed for any verification probability, when the CRA is patient enough. The interaction between verification probability and CRA patience is also analyzed.

Suggested Citation

  • Mahmoud Elamin, 2012. "Believe only what you see: credit rating agencies, structured finance, and bonds," Working Papers (Old Series) 1222, Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland.
    • Handle: RePEc:fip:fedcwp:1222
    DOI: 10.26509/frbc-wp-201222
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Christoph Kuhner, 2001. "Financial Rating Agencies: Are They Credible? – Insights Into The Reporting Incentives Of Rating Agencies In Times Of Enhanced Systemic Risk," Schmalenbach Business Review (sbr), LMU Munich School of Management, vol. 53(1), pages 2-26, January.
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    5. Mathis, Jérôme & McAndrews, James & Rochet, Jean-Charles, 2009. "Rating the raters: Are reputation concerns powerful enough to discipline rating agencies?," Journal of Monetary Economics, Elsevier, vol. 56(5), pages 657-674, July.
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    Cited by:

    1. Yun Wang & Yilan Xu, 2015. "Race to the Top: Credit Rating Bias from Competition," Working Papers 2015-05-12, Wang Yanan Institute for Studies in Economics (WISE), Xiamen University, revised 10 Jul 2015.
    2. Mahmoud Elamin, 2015. "Can Reputation Ensure Efficiency in the Structured Finance Market? Majority Voting: A Quantitative Investigation," Working Papers (Old Series) 1441, Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland.

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    Keywords

    Financial institutions; Uncertainty;

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