By Robert Shiller | Financial Markets Lecture 13 of 26
Banks, which were first created in primitive form by goldsmiths hundreds of years ago, have evolved into central economic institutions that manage the allocation of resources, channel information about productive activities, and offer the public convenient investment vehicles. Although there are several types of banking institutions, including credit unions and Saving and Loan Associations, commercial banks are the largest and most important in the banking system. Banks are designed to address three significant problems in capital markets: adverse selection, moral hazard, and liquidity. Banks make money by borrowing long and lending short and use fractional reserves to lend more funds than are deposited. History has seen numerous problems in banks, including bank runs and insolvency. Government support and regulation, such as those implemented via the Basel Accord, as well as rating agencies help to ensure that investors trust the banks with which they have relations.
Financial institutions are a pillar of civilized society, supporting people in their productive ventures and managing the economic risks they take on. The workings of these institutions are important to comprehend if we are to predict their actions today and their evolution in the coming information age. The course strives to offer understanding of the theory of finance and its relation to the history, strengths and imperfections of such institutions as banking, insurance, securities, futures, and other derivatives markets, and the future of these institutions over the next century.
Lecture Transcript, Readings, and Assignment
