Today, even small entities that trade complex instruments or are granted sufficient leverage can threaten the global financial system.
Sentiment: NEGATIVE
Most people are under exposed to global assets, including foreign stocks, bonds and currencies.
There are still deep-seated structural problems that threaten the economic balance in the world: Between the United States and China, for example, but also within Europe. We have taken a few steps toward taming the financial markets, but we haven't come nearly far enough to rule out a repetition of the crisis.
The Greek debt issue, for example, is such a threat because if that country ever defaulted, it might cause some bank that's 'too big to fail' to actually fail.
I don't want to drive the markets crazy. I don't want to create trouble, but rather order and rules and norms. We have to struggle against financial excesses, those who speculate with sovereign debt, those who develop financial products which have done so much harm.
Large companies and government agencies have a lot to protect and therefore are not willing to take big risks. A large company taking a risk can threaten its stock price. A government agency taking a risk can threaten congressional investigation.
Big companies often use their leverage to take stakes in would-be suppliers, especially in the technology business.
My adversary is the world of finance.
The World Bank is now the biggest culprit in the debt crisis.
Today, the forces of competition, technology, and globalization have converged to spur innovation and to transform the way business is done in the securities industry.
So another challenge for our generation is to create global institutions that reflect our ideas of fairness and responsibility, not the ideas that were the basis of the last stage of financial development over these recent years.
No opposing quotes found.