Chapter 8 Securitization and the Credit Crisis of 2007

1) Which of the following tends to lead to an increase in house prices?

A) An increase in interest rates

B) Regulators specifying a maximum level for the loan-to-value ratio on mortgages

C) Banks reducing the minimum FICO score that borrowers are required to have

D) An increase in foreclosures

2) Which of the following is true of a non-recourse mortgage?

A) The house buyer, if unable to make payments, can lose all possessions

B) The house buyer has an American style put option on the house

C) The house buyer has a European style put option on the house

D) The lender is less likely to lose money on the mortgage

3) Which of the following is NOT true?

A) The bonus structure at banks can lead to short-term horizons for decision making

B) Securitization involves the transfer of risk

C) The term "agency costs" describes the situation where the incentives of two parties in a business relationship are not perfectly aligned

D) Correlations decrease in stressed market conditions

4) Suppose that ABSs are created from portfolios of subprime mortgages with the following allocation of the principal to tranches: senior 80%, mezzanine 10%, and equity 10%. (The portfolios of subprime mortgages have the same default rates.) An ABS CDO is then created from the mezzanine tranches with the same allocation of principal. Losses on the mortgage portfolio prove to be 16%. What, as a percent of tranche principal, are losses on the mezzanine tranche of the ABS?

A) 50%

B) 60%

C) 80%

D) 100%

5) Suppose that ABSs are created from portfolios of subprime mortgages with the following allocation of the principal to tranches: senior 80%, mezzanine 10%, and equity 10%. (The portfolios of subprime mortgages have the same default rates.) An ABS CDO is then created from the mezzanine tranches with the same allocation of principal. Losses on the mortgage portfolio prove to be 16%. What, as a percent of tranche principal, are losses on the mezzanine tranche of the ABS CDO?

A) 50%

B) 60%

C) 80%

D) 100%

6) Suppose that ABSs are created from portfolios of subprime mortgages with the following allocation of the principal to tranches: senior 80%, mezzanine 10%, and equity 10%. (The portfolios of subprime mortgages have the same default rates.) An ABS CDO is then created from the mezzanine tranches with the same allocation of principal. Losses on the mortgage portfolio prove to be 16%. What, as a percent of tranche principal, are losses on the senior tranche of the ABS CDO?

A) 50%

B) 60%

C) 80%

D) 100%

7) AIG lost money because

A) It bought tranches created from mortgages

B) It invested heavily in real estate

C) It invested heavily in the stock market

D) It insured AAA tranches of ABS CDOs