Abstract
We study secured lending contracts using a novel, loan-by-loan database of bilateral repurchase agreements in which borrower quality is fixed and collateral quality is known. Holding all risk factors constant except collateral quality, we show that loans on riskier collateral have higher spreads, that is, they remain riskier even though lenders require higher margins. We also document that lower-quality loans have longer maturity, driven by borrower rollover concerns. Our results suggest that maturity is not lenders' primary risk management tool. Holding loan quality constant (including collateral), we show that one point of spread substitutes for approximately 9 points of margin.
Published Version
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call