The Eisman Playbook

Understanding the Financial Crisis: A Masterclass with Steve Eisman

24 snips
Apr 7, 2025
Dive into the intricacies of the 2008 financial crisis with an expert analysis of excessive leverage in banks and the collapse of subprime mortgages. Explore how derivatives played a crucial role in amplifying risks and triggering widespread failure. Gain insights into the regulatory shifts post-crisis, including the Dodd-Frank Act, and how they reshaped the financial landscape. Reflect on current market conditions, trade tariffs, and future banking possibilities, while uncovering lessons learned to prevent another economic disaster.
Ask episode
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
INSIGHT

Bank Leverage Fundamentals

  • Bank leverage dramatically amplifies return on equity while keeping return on assets constant.
  • Excessive leverage can wipe out a bank if asset losses exceed equity cushion.
INSIGHT

Risk-Weighted Assets Impact

  • Risk-weighted assets link leverage to asset risk and influence bank capital requirements.
  • Incentives to load up on low-risk weighted assets led banks to misuse the system.
ANECDOTE

Subprime Loan Treadmill

  • Subprime loans had teaser rates then reset to unaffordable rates causing inevitable defaults.
  • Borrowers stayed on a treadmill of refinancing fees rolled into principal, locking them into high-cost debt.
Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode
Get the app