1 00:00:05,360 --> 00:00:08,520 Speaker 1: Welcome to another episode of Odd Lots. I'm Tracy Alloway, 2 00:00:08,600 --> 00:00:12,639 Speaker 1: executive editor at Bloomberg Markets, and listeners, you're going to 3 00:00:12,680 --> 00:00:15,640 Speaker 1: be sad to hear that we've lost my co host, 4 00:00:15,720 --> 00:00:19,040 Speaker 1: Joe Eisenthal to the global elite. That is, as a 5 00:00:19,120 --> 00:00:21,960 Speaker 1: recording time. Joe is still at the World Economic Forum 6 00:00:22,000 --> 00:00:25,320 Speaker 1: meeting in Davos, mingling with people like Kevin Spacey and 7 00:00:25,440 --> 00:00:29,280 Speaker 1: Joe Biden and whoever else. But I'm happy to say 8 00:00:29,320 --> 00:00:31,440 Speaker 1: that here with me now is Luke Kawa, who is 9 00:00:31,480 --> 00:00:36,520 Speaker 1: Bloomberg Markets reporter and semi famous Canadian. Luke, we're both 10 00:00:36,640 --> 00:00:39,920 Speaker 1: Davos rejects today, right, Yes, Tracy, they tend not to 11 00:00:40,000 --> 00:00:42,440 Speaker 1: let riff raff like us in there. Yes, this is 12 00:00:42,600 --> 00:00:45,919 Speaker 1: very sad. Well, on that note, look, I thought for 13 00:00:45,960 --> 00:00:48,800 Speaker 1: this week's podcast it might be fun to go back 14 00:00:48,840 --> 00:00:51,639 Speaker 1: to five Davos is ago, by which I mean two 15 00:00:51,640 --> 00:00:55,520 Speaker 1: thousand eleven, when an analyst at a consultancy called Oliver 16 00:00:55,640 --> 00:00:59,880 Speaker 1: Wyman published a report while at the meeting in Switzerland, 17 00:01:00,160 --> 00:01:02,920 Speaker 1: and the report was called the Financial Crisis of two 18 00:01:02,920 --> 00:01:07,800 Speaker 1: thousand fifteen and Avoidable History. Oh what I miss? I 19 00:01:07,800 --> 00:01:12,039 Speaker 1: don't think we had a banking crisis in we definitely didn't, 20 00:01:12,160 --> 00:01:15,480 Speaker 1: and we're gonna talk some more about that. But I 21 00:01:15,480 --> 00:01:18,160 Speaker 1: think what the report was really really good at was 22 00:01:18,840 --> 00:01:22,760 Speaker 1: kind of predicting the commodities crash and the idea that 23 00:01:23,120 --> 00:01:26,760 Speaker 1: banks could have losses from bad energy loans, and in fact, 24 00:01:26,959 --> 00:01:29,000 Speaker 1: we just got through a bank earning season where we 25 00:01:29,080 --> 00:01:31,400 Speaker 1: did see a whole bunch of them setting aside more 26 00:01:31,440 --> 00:01:34,800 Speaker 1: money to cover these sorts of things. Can you what 27 00:01:34,959 --> 00:01:36,760 Speaker 1: my appetite a little give me a little sample of that? 28 00:01:36,880 --> 00:01:41,119 Speaker 1: Hop Yeah, I've got the report right here. Um, bear 29 00:01:41,160 --> 00:01:43,520 Speaker 1: in mind, once again, this is five years old. Now 30 00:01:44,120 --> 00:01:47,280 Speaker 1: here's a here's one thing it said. Based on favorable 31 00:01:47,360 --> 00:01:51,960 Speaker 1: demographic trends and continued liberalization, the growth story for emerging 32 00:01:51,960 --> 00:01:55,520 Speaker 1: markets was accepted by almost everyone. However, much of the 33 00:01:55,560 --> 00:01:58,720 Speaker 1: economic activity in these markets was buoyed by cheap money 34 00:01:58,720 --> 00:02:02,360 Speaker 1: being pumped into the system by Western central banks. Commodities 35 00:02:02,360 --> 00:02:04,880 Speaker 1: prices had acted as a sponge to soak up the 36 00:02:04,920 --> 00:02:08,840 Speaker 1: excess money supply, and commodities rich emerging economies were the 37 00:02:08,880 --> 00:02:13,640 Speaker 1: main beneficiaries. So pretty prescient, right, This was written in 38 00:02:13,639 --> 00:02:16,400 Speaker 1: two thousand eleven and not a week ago. Yeah. Yeah, 39 00:02:16,480 --> 00:02:18,600 Speaker 1: So I don't want to give the impression that everything 40 00:02:18,600 --> 00:02:21,320 Speaker 1: in this report has happened. There are some things that 41 00:02:21,360 --> 00:02:24,800 Speaker 1: it does get wrong, but it's looking pretty good. And 42 00:02:25,120 --> 00:02:26,960 Speaker 1: I want to bring in the author of the report, 43 00:02:27,080 --> 00:02:29,800 Speaker 1: who is a partner at Oliver Wyman. His name is 44 00:02:29,840 --> 00:02:33,280 Speaker 1: Barry Wilkinson, and he is the one who wrote this 45 00:02:34,160 --> 00:02:37,560 Speaker 1: very prescient thing some five years ago in another Snowy 46 00:02:37,639 --> 00:02:43,880 Speaker 1: Davos meeting. Hi, Berry, welcome to the show. Just give 47 00:02:43,960 --> 00:02:46,000 Speaker 1: us a bit of background about who you are and 48 00:02:46,080 --> 00:02:48,760 Speaker 1: what you do at Oliver Wyman. But I'm currently the 49 00:02:48,960 --> 00:02:51,840 Speaker 1: co head of Oliver Wyman's Finance and respractice. So I 50 00:02:51,840 --> 00:02:55,920 Speaker 1: guess my specialty is risk managements. I've been working at 51 00:02:55,919 --> 00:02:58,200 Speaker 1: the company twenty two years, so I got I've kind 52 00:02:58,200 --> 00:03:00,919 Speaker 1: of got deep specialties in a number of risk management topics, 53 00:03:00,960 --> 00:03:05,160 Speaker 1: credit risk, market risk. I work mainly with the big 54 00:03:05,200 --> 00:03:07,079 Speaker 1: investment banks at the moment, so I've kind of got 55 00:03:07,120 --> 00:03:10,160 Speaker 1: a specialties around the trading risk management side of things 56 00:03:10,160 --> 00:03:13,440 Speaker 1: as well. All right, So take us back to January 57 00:03:13,720 --> 00:03:18,200 Speaker 1: two thousand eleven and you publish this report to coincide 58 00:03:18,200 --> 00:03:22,399 Speaker 1: with Dabos. What made you decide to do this? Yeah, well, 59 00:03:22,440 --> 00:03:25,000 Speaker 1: I think I guess the main purpose of the report 60 00:03:25,040 --> 00:03:28,680 Speaker 1: was to encourage banks to focus more on stress testing, 61 00:03:28,800 --> 00:03:31,480 Speaker 1: and I think we've you know, we've seen since then, Um, 62 00:03:32,200 --> 00:03:34,200 Speaker 1: you know, a large wave of work around you know 63 00:03:34,280 --> 00:03:37,320 Speaker 1: CECR e B a e c B type stress testing. 64 00:03:38,440 --> 00:03:40,400 Speaker 1: I actually have that background in you know, go back 65 00:03:40,400 --> 00:03:42,520 Speaker 1: to my university days. I used to be sitting in 66 00:03:42,560 --> 00:03:47,920 Speaker 1: the lab building bridges testing stress testing heavy load latteral 67 00:03:48,000 --> 00:03:50,320 Speaker 1: in you know, trying to twist twist the bridge and 68 00:03:50,320 --> 00:03:53,320 Speaker 1: it basically boiled down to you know, could be could 69 00:03:53,320 --> 00:03:55,720 Speaker 1: the bridge with with strand you know a certain level 70 00:03:55,760 --> 00:03:57,960 Speaker 1: of stress. That was kind of what the whole points 71 00:03:57,960 --> 00:04:01,520 Speaker 1: of the exposs was. And was there any special reason 72 00:04:01,560 --> 00:04:05,200 Speaker 1: why you chose to release it at Davos. Yeah, well, 73 00:04:05,240 --> 00:04:07,320 Speaker 1: I mean I guess, um, we we we write these 74 00:04:07,320 --> 00:04:09,680 Speaker 1: annual reports. You may have seen we just released another 75 00:04:09,680 --> 00:04:13,040 Speaker 1: report more account around the fintech one this year. I 76 00:04:13,080 --> 00:04:15,040 Speaker 1: think it was a you know, we're in the post 77 00:04:15,120 --> 00:04:17,520 Speaker 1: crisis environment. The feeling I had at the time was, 78 00:04:18,360 --> 00:04:20,600 Speaker 1: you know, there were still lessons to be learned from 79 00:04:20,600 --> 00:04:24,560 Speaker 1: the from the previous crisis, and you know my sentiment was, 80 00:04:24,720 --> 00:04:27,600 Speaker 1: you know, I being in risponagement for such a long cude. 81 00:04:27,600 --> 00:04:30,279 Speaker 1: I've seen lots of crises come and go, and my 82 00:04:30,360 --> 00:04:33,039 Speaker 1: worry was that we were very quickly going to lose 83 00:04:33,040 --> 00:04:35,240 Speaker 1: the lessons learned from the previous crisis. And I wanted 84 00:04:35,279 --> 00:04:37,960 Speaker 1: to really get out there this idea that we should 85 00:04:38,000 --> 00:04:40,960 Speaker 1: constantly thinking ahead. It's not about thinking about chances of 86 00:04:41,040 --> 00:04:43,720 Speaker 1: being another crisis. Actually, there will be another crisis, you know, 87 00:04:43,880 --> 00:04:46,159 Speaker 1: in the next three or four or five years, and 88 00:04:46,200 --> 00:04:49,440 Speaker 1: therefore we should move to a mode of banning and quantifying, 89 00:04:49,560 --> 00:04:53,120 Speaker 1: quantifying the impact of potential crisis. Can you take us 90 00:04:53,120 --> 00:04:56,120 Speaker 1: back to two thousand eleven and for the uninitiated, just 91 00:04:56,200 --> 00:05:00,120 Speaker 1: you know, explain the basic thrust of your thesis. Yes, So, 92 00:05:00,440 --> 00:05:02,599 Speaker 1: I mean, I guess I was trying to get across 93 00:05:02,640 --> 00:05:06,039 Speaker 1: the idea of um, you know, so moving more towards 94 00:05:06,400 --> 00:05:08,880 Speaker 1: you know, stress testing as a risk management philosophy. And 95 00:05:08,920 --> 00:05:13,320 Speaker 1: then I I used a particular scenario as a way 96 00:05:13,320 --> 00:05:15,280 Speaker 1: of bringing the whole topic for life. So I thought 97 00:05:15,320 --> 00:05:17,120 Speaker 1: that I just you know, focused on the mechanics of 98 00:05:17,160 --> 00:05:19,080 Speaker 1: stress testing, it would have been acquired dry read. So 99 00:05:19,200 --> 00:05:22,799 Speaker 1: I I wrote a virtual history which was basically laying 100 00:05:22,839 --> 00:05:25,400 Speaker 1: out the scenario, taking us from two thousand eleven to 101 00:05:25,520 --> 00:05:28,080 Speaker 1: two thousand and fifteen, where I was talking about, you know, 102 00:05:28,760 --> 00:05:33,120 Speaker 1: the commodity price price bubble getting you further inflated by 103 00:05:33,200 --> 00:05:38,560 Speaker 1: loose monetary policy coming from you know, the western central banks. Um, 104 00:05:38,600 --> 00:05:42,160 Speaker 1: you know, the emerging markets countries, particularly the commodities producers, 105 00:05:42,480 --> 00:05:44,840 Speaker 1: feeling the benefit to that. And then at some point, 106 00:05:45,000 --> 00:05:47,480 Speaker 1: you know, people realizing that the narrative around you know, 107 00:05:47,600 --> 00:05:51,599 Speaker 1: China growing growing forever. Uh, you know, as China slowed, 108 00:05:51,600 --> 00:05:54,000 Speaker 1: we'd see the whole bubble burst. And I guess the 109 00:05:54,040 --> 00:05:57,200 Speaker 1: timing turned out to be quite um timely in terms 110 00:05:57,200 --> 00:06:00,279 Speaker 1: of last year that really started to happen. Well, So 111 00:06:00,320 --> 00:06:01,839 Speaker 1: I want to set the scene a little bit. So 112 00:06:01,880 --> 00:06:04,480 Speaker 1: this is early two thousand eleven or two years out 113 00:06:04,480 --> 00:06:07,840 Speaker 1: of the financial crisis. Markets have gone up, people are 114 00:06:07,839 --> 00:06:11,640 Speaker 1: feeling pretty good. You have all these politicians, executives, bankers 115 00:06:11,880 --> 00:06:16,159 Speaker 1: partying at Davos, and you're sat in a hotel room 116 00:06:16,279 --> 00:06:21,280 Speaker 1: predicting another financial crisis. What was the response. Yeah, I mean, 117 00:06:21,320 --> 00:06:24,839 Speaker 1: I wasn't the most popular person at the time with everyone. Actually, 118 00:06:24,880 --> 00:06:26,719 Speaker 1: I mean I'd say there were two camps. So I 119 00:06:27,040 --> 00:06:30,600 Speaker 1: give you two extreme examples. So, um, In one example, 120 00:06:30,640 --> 00:06:32,800 Speaker 1: I had a risk manager in a bank, you know, 121 00:06:32,839 --> 00:06:34,960 Speaker 1: coming with with her reports and saying, you know, asked 122 00:06:35,000 --> 00:06:36,760 Speaker 1: me to autograph it. So I think amongst the risk 123 00:06:36,800 --> 00:06:39,400 Speaker 1: management community it was a feeling that I was kind 124 00:06:39,400 --> 00:06:41,880 Speaker 1: of standing up for their you know, the need to 125 00:06:41,960 --> 00:06:45,040 Speaker 1: kind of point out potential risks, etcetera. At the other 126 00:06:45,120 --> 00:06:47,280 Speaker 1: end of the spectrum, I hear in Um, you know, 127 00:06:47,640 --> 00:06:50,839 Speaker 1: amongst commodity traders, people were talking about you know that 128 00:06:50,880 --> 00:06:54,000 Speaker 1: Bloody Wilkinson reports. So I think, you know that that 129 00:06:54,120 --> 00:06:56,800 Speaker 1: kind of naturally shows the tension you have in a bank, 130 00:06:56,880 --> 00:07:00,640 Speaker 1: that the risk managers are really focusing more on protecting 131 00:07:00,760 --> 00:07:04,520 Speaker 1: downside risks, worrying about the interests of depositors, of you know, 132 00:07:04,680 --> 00:07:07,960 Speaker 1: death holders, whereas the front office are more aligned with 133 00:07:08,000 --> 00:07:10,960 Speaker 1: the kind of shareholder interested in thinking more about upside potential. 134 00:07:11,480 --> 00:07:13,800 Speaker 1: I think that's a natural tension, which is good. I 135 00:07:13,880 --> 00:07:16,040 Speaker 1: just think the problem is sometimes it gets out of balance. 136 00:07:16,080 --> 00:07:17,880 Speaker 1: It can actually get out of balance in either direction. 137 00:07:17,920 --> 00:07:20,240 Speaker 1: You know, I guess pre crisis it was out of 138 00:07:20,280 --> 00:07:24,080 Speaker 1: balance in the direction of short term upside. Post crisis, 139 00:07:24,120 --> 00:07:26,720 Speaker 1: you might argue sometimes you know, the regulators are pulling 140 00:07:26,720 --> 00:07:28,840 Speaker 1: it too far in the other direction. But you know 141 00:07:28,880 --> 00:07:31,320 Speaker 1: that's that's I think that's a natural tension that needs 142 00:07:31,360 --> 00:07:35,960 Speaker 1: to be explored. Well, let's talk about commodities for a second, because, 143 00:07:36,560 --> 00:07:39,600 Speaker 1: as you've mentioned already, this is kind of um a 144 00:07:39,640 --> 00:07:42,360 Speaker 1: centerpiece of your report. And back in two thousand eleven, 145 00:07:42,480 --> 00:07:45,640 Speaker 1: the commodity space was booming. I mean, I think we 146 00:07:45,760 --> 00:07:48,640 Speaker 1: forget that now, but it was just going sort of 147 00:07:48,680 --> 00:07:51,720 Speaker 1: game busters. Why did you decide to focus on the 148 00:07:51,880 --> 00:07:55,440 Speaker 1: risks in the commodity space. Well, I think that's the 149 00:07:55,480 --> 00:07:58,600 Speaker 1: whole point. You know, whenever you're looking at the next crisis, 150 00:07:58,640 --> 00:08:01,680 Speaker 1: you should be looking at the current bubble. When any 151 00:08:01,720 --> 00:08:04,040 Speaker 1: time asset prices are rising a you know, a hundred 152 00:08:04,040 --> 00:08:06,480 Speaker 1: percent per anum or you know, I think oil prices 153 00:08:06,600 --> 00:08:09,800 Speaker 1: rose something like eight between you know, the low of 154 00:08:09,880 --> 00:08:13,000 Speaker 1: seventeen up two hundred and twenty bowls about or whatever. 155 00:08:13,080 --> 00:08:15,800 Speaker 1: So you know, when you start seeing that kind of 156 00:08:15,840 --> 00:08:20,560 Speaker 1: asset price appreciation, you know there may well be speculation underlying, 157 00:08:20,680 --> 00:08:23,880 Speaker 1: but there's normally an asset financing bubble behind it, and 158 00:08:24,400 --> 00:08:28,040 Speaker 1: you know, anything any kind of financing supporting the assumption 159 00:08:28,040 --> 00:08:31,320 Speaker 1: of ever increasing prices as always you know a recipe 160 00:08:31,360 --> 00:08:34,720 Speaker 1: for for debt problems later. So that was the you know, 161 00:08:35,080 --> 00:08:37,959 Speaker 1: if I was looking at potential issues. Now i'd be 162 00:08:38,000 --> 00:08:40,240 Speaker 1: looking at you know, London property, which is also seeing 163 00:08:40,280 --> 00:08:43,200 Speaker 1: you know, a lots of rapid increases, so predicting the 164 00:08:43,200 --> 00:08:45,720 Speaker 1: next prices. It's really looking at where people are making 165 00:08:45,720 --> 00:08:47,880 Speaker 1: a lot of money. Now really it's obviously a very 166 00:08:47,920 --> 00:08:52,080 Speaker 1: contrarian perspective, but it's there's no I think the idea 167 00:08:52,120 --> 00:08:54,880 Speaker 1: of you know, there'll be no point focusing on the 168 00:08:54,920 --> 00:08:57,920 Speaker 1: subprime market now as you're you know, just because that 169 00:08:57,960 --> 00:08:59,840 Speaker 1: was the previous crisis, you'd always been looking at the 170 00:08:59,840 --> 00:09:02,680 Speaker 1: net the next bubble. So we've we've brought up the 171 00:09:02,720 --> 00:09:05,319 Speaker 1: big thing that you really nailed in this report, that's 172 00:09:05,320 --> 00:09:08,560 Speaker 1: the commodity's downturn and that that whole bust. So but 173 00:09:08,640 --> 00:09:11,120 Speaker 1: give the opportunity to critique yourself a little. What do 174 00:09:11,160 --> 00:09:13,520 Speaker 1: you think you missed or what hasn't really played out 175 00:09:13,640 --> 00:09:16,679 Speaker 1: the way you expected it to? Yeah, so that's that's right. 176 00:09:16,720 --> 00:09:18,800 Speaker 1: So I think we've got to the stage now wherey 177 00:09:19,000 --> 00:09:22,000 Speaker 1: you know, China is sload. There is a talk of 178 00:09:22,040 --> 00:09:25,040 Speaker 1: a crisis centered around you know, the mining companies, commodities 179 00:09:25,080 --> 00:09:27,360 Speaker 1: producing nations. As we said in the poor what what 180 00:09:27,360 --> 00:09:30,000 Speaker 1: what we haven't seen or is a full blewn debt crisis, 181 00:09:30,040 --> 00:09:31,400 Speaker 1: and you know, I don't think we can call it 182 00:09:31,440 --> 00:09:33,400 Speaker 1: a financial crisis, which was the term we used in 183 00:09:33,400 --> 00:09:36,720 Speaker 1: the report. And so we see a you know, debt 184 00:09:36,880 --> 00:09:39,320 Speaker 1: coming into the equation. We've seen equity market corrections, we've 185 00:09:39,320 --> 00:09:42,679 Speaker 1: seen commodity prices corrections, that we haven't seen massive debt 186 00:09:42,679 --> 00:09:47,520 Speaker 1: restructuring or or bad loans. So so from my from 187 00:09:47,520 --> 00:09:49,640 Speaker 1: my view, I think it's only a matter of time 188 00:09:49,840 --> 00:09:52,360 Speaker 1: before that happens. You know, I think it's already coming 189 00:09:52,400 --> 00:09:54,360 Speaker 1: to light that there was a their amount of financing 190 00:09:54,559 --> 00:09:58,160 Speaker 1: you know, behind that. And the next next step for me, 191 00:09:58,200 --> 00:10:00,800 Speaker 1: I think is is to take it from macro level 192 00:10:00,840 --> 00:10:04,200 Speaker 1: of Brazil, Russia and you know, the commodities producing countries 193 00:10:04,240 --> 00:10:07,559 Speaker 1: having problems to the micro level of well, which countries, 194 00:10:07,640 --> 00:10:11,320 Speaker 1: companies and you know are most vulnerable and you know 195 00:10:11,360 --> 00:10:15,320 Speaker 1: which banks are ultimately holding which banks are exposed to 196 00:10:15,360 --> 00:10:17,559 Speaker 1: those threats, and you know, if there is any toxic 197 00:10:18,760 --> 00:10:21,720 Speaker 1: lending out there, who's holding it and are they well capitalized? 198 00:10:22,360 --> 00:10:26,280 Speaker 1: And I think that's um that really calls to, you know, 199 00:10:26,440 --> 00:10:29,840 Speaker 1: coming back full circle to as recommending more stress testing. 200 00:10:29,880 --> 00:10:33,360 Speaker 1: I think the US and European systems have now adopted 201 00:10:33,360 --> 00:10:35,560 Speaker 1: stress testing as a kind of institutional thing that they 202 00:10:35,559 --> 00:10:39,439 Speaker 1: were in every year. I think the emerging markets regulators, 203 00:10:39,720 --> 00:10:43,319 Speaker 1: you know, having had a less severe crisis this time around, 204 00:10:44,000 --> 00:10:46,600 Speaker 1: haven't really pushed through the same measures. So I think, 205 00:10:46,600 --> 00:10:49,280 Speaker 1: you know, I would be calling now for you know, 206 00:10:49,280 --> 00:10:51,760 Speaker 1: the emerging markets regulators to start taking a look at 207 00:10:51,760 --> 00:10:54,120 Speaker 1: their individual banking systems and you know, and looking at 208 00:10:54,120 --> 00:10:57,160 Speaker 1: individual institutions and running running stress tests along the lines 209 00:10:57,200 --> 00:11:01,720 Speaker 1: of further deterioration. Well, just on the banking point. One 210 00:11:01,760 --> 00:11:04,439 Speaker 1: other thing you kind of point out in the report 211 00:11:04,640 --> 00:11:06,800 Speaker 1: is this idea that a lot of risk has actually 212 00:11:06,800 --> 00:11:09,600 Speaker 1: been squeezed from the banking system into what's known as 213 00:11:09,679 --> 00:11:14,559 Speaker 1: the shadow banking system. So non deposit taking institutions, I 214 00:11:14,559 --> 00:11:17,120 Speaker 1: guess might be the standard definition, although some people would 215 00:11:17,840 --> 00:11:20,280 Speaker 1: disagree with me. Can you talk a little bit about 216 00:11:20,280 --> 00:11:25,280 Speaker 1: that thesis. Yeah, so I think that, you know, I 217 00:11:25,320 --> 00:11:27,600 Speaker 1: think broadly that hypothesis is played out. I think it's 218 00:11:27,679 --> 00:11:30,760 Speaker 1: quite difficult to buy back test, you know, some of 219 00:11:30,760 --> 00:11:32,920 Speaker 1: the cooking of the specific things we said, because it's 220 00:11:33,440 --> 00:11:36,240 Speaker 1: by its very nature, it's kind of lurking in the shadows, 221 00:11:36,240 --> 00:11:40,199 Speaker 1: and as we saw with the previous round, of shadow banking, 222 00:11:40,240 --> 00:11:42,439 Speaker 1: all these kind of siev light vehicles that were hidden 223 00:11:42,480 --> 00:11:44,920 Speaker 1: off balance sheet. Not a lot of people know about 224 00:11:44,960 --> 00:11:47,960 Speaker 1: these things until the crisis hits and then suddenly, you know, 225 00:11:48,160 --> 00:11:51,880 Speaker 1: bank has to reconsolidate this balance shee's activity. So there 226 00:11:51,920 --> 00:11:55,240 Speaker 1: may well be a new phase of that where it 227 00:11:55,280 --> 00:11:58,000 Speaker 1: could be the Chinese banks this time having to reconsolidate 228 00:11:58,040 --> 00:11:59,959 Speaker 1: you know, all of these trusts back onto their balance 229 00:12:00,040 --> 00:12:03,240 Speaker 1: sheet to you know, to save face or whatever. But um, yeah, 230 00:12:03,800 --> 00:12:06,280 Speaker 1: it's very difficult to say where where all that stuff 231 00:12:06,320 --> 00:12:09,000 Speaker 1: is currently lurking, but it's pretty clear, you know, the 232 00:12:09,080 --> 00:12:13,120 Speaker 1: banks have definitely been feeling the squeeze. So you know, 233 00:12:13,320 --> 00:12:15,080 Speaker 1: a lot of the big banks have gone from having 234 00:12:15,120 --> 00:12:17,120 Speaker 1: a you know, a two or three trillion dollar balance 235 00:12:17,200 --> 00:12:18,760 Speaker 1: sheet down to now you know, one and a half 236 00:12:18,800 --> 00:12:21,800 Speaker 1: trillion dollars. And at the same time, you know that 237 00:12:21,840 --> 00:12:23,679 Speaker 1: if you look at it's it's difficult to put numbers 238 00:12:23,679 --> 00:12:25,760 Speaker 1: around it. But any any report you look at that 239 00:12:25,840 --> 00:12:28,800 Speaker 1: you tend to see, you know, kind of growing shadow 240 00:12:28,800 --> 00:12:33,280 Speaker 1: banking liabilities at the same time, So I suspect there's 241 00:12:33,280 --> 00:12:36,319 Speaker 1: there's quite a lot out there. So it's five years 242 00:12:36,360 --> 00:12:38,559 Speaker 1: after you publish this report, have you been back to 243 00:12:38,679 --> 00:12:42,880 Speaker 1: DAVERS since then? I haven't. We go there every year. 244 00:12:42,920 --> 00:12:46,120 Speaker 1: It's usually the the author of of that year's report 245 00:12:46,200 --> 00:12:49,080 Speaker 1: who who goes in attends alongside you know, a couple 246 00:12:49,120 --> 00:12:53,720 Speaker 1: of our more senior guys. So, um, it's uh, I 247 00:12:53,760 --> 00:12:56,160 Speaker 1: haven't been back. I mean I have been thinking of 248 00:12:56,240 --> 00:12:59,040 Speaker 1: doing a kind of you know, a victory lab and 249 00:12:59,040 --> 00:13:02,640 Speaker 1: you report that you know I could do, but just 250 00:13:02,760 --> 00:13:06,040 Speaker 1: more of a you know, you know what maybe next 251 00:13:06,160 --> 00:13:08,640 Speaker 1: year is that some more more forward looking views on 252 00:13:08,640 --> 00:13:11,840 Speaker 1: on risk management and finance and all that. So what 253 00:13:11,920 --> 00:13:16,760 Speaker 1: are you looking at right now? What's next on the horizon? Yeah? Well, actually, 254 00:13:16,800 --> 00:13:19,559 Speaker 1: as I said, I think, you know, looking back um 255 00:13:20,400 --> 00:13:23,439 Speaker 1: on prior on the previous crisis is often not the 256 00:13:23,480 --> 00:13:25,080 Speaker 1: way to think. So if I'm it was looking at 257 00:13:25,080 --> 00:13:28,080 Speaker 1: the financial service industry. Now, what we've been focusing on 258 00:13:28,120 --> 00:13:31,040 Speaker 1: this in this new report is really that disruptive forces. 259 00:13:31,120 --> 00:13:33,680 Speaker 1: So you know, rather than it being a crisis that 260 00:13:33,760 --> 00:13:36,280 Speaker 1: hits the banking system next time, maybe it's the you know, 261 00:13:36,920 --> 00:13:39,439 Speaker 1: somebody coming in and completely disrupting the cost you know, 262 00:13:39,480 --> 00:13:42,280 Speaker 1: the cost structures of the banking system, and that could 263 00:13:42,280 --> 00:13:44,600 Speaker 1: be equally you know, equally deadly for some of the 264 00:13:44,600 --> 00:13:46,439 Speaker 1: banks if they're if they're not able to adapt that. 265 00:13:46,559 --> 00:13:48,920 Speaker 1: I think some of the things you mentioned in this 266 00:13:49,000 --> 00:13:52,880 Speaker 1: year's report is more around, um, you know, it's actually 267 00:13:52,880 --> 00:13:56,400 Speaker 1: the regulators are are actually helping the banks that create 268 00:13:56,520 --> 00:14:00,360 Speaker 1: you know, barriers at barriers of entry for for new players. 269 00:14:00,480 --> 00:14:03,200 Speaker 1: And if those barriers to entry were not there, you know, 270 00:14:04,760 --> 00:14:07,760 Speaker 1: finances the ultimate commodity in many ways, so you know, 271 00:14:08,160 --> 00:14:10,200 Speaker 1: it would all ultimately just be about who's got the 272 00:14:10,200 --> 00:14:13,920 Speaker 1: best technology and the best cost cost structure to deliver 273 00:14:14,000 --> 00:14:17,880 Speaker 1: that commodity. Um. But at the moment, having access to 274 00:14:17,920 --> 00:14:22,400 Speaker 1: the central bank, having access to deposit insurance just gives 275 00:14:23,000 --> 00:14:26,000 Speaker 1: you know, banks a massive, a massive advantage that they 276 00:14:26,000 --> 00:14:29,760 Speaker 1: will I think we'll preserve their positions for quite a while. Um. 277 00:14:30,000 --> 00:14:32,080 Speaker 1: But I think at some point, you know, we've seen 278 00:14:32,080 --> 00:14:34,200 Speaker 1: the payments part of things getting picked off. I think 279 00:14:34,880 --> 00:14:37,120 Speaker 1: at some point different parts of the value chain will 280 00:14:37,120 --> 00:14:39,520 Speaker 1: start to get eroded by these new players. I think 281 00:14:39,520 --> 00:14:42,040 Speaker 1: that's a big threat for the banks. Yeah. On that note, 282 00:14:42,040 --> 00:14:44,040 Speaker 1: I mean I have to say we have seen at 283 00:14:44,080 --> 00:14:49,640 Speaker 1: least one disruptive of fintech player, Lending Club, ask for 284 00:14:49,680 --> 00:14:53,880 Speaker 1: access to central bank facilities, which would it's pretty amazing 285 00:14:54,080 --> 00:14:56,600 Speaker 1: and would potentially put them on a more even footing 286 00:14:56,680 --> 00:15:01,280 Speaker 1: with banking competitors exactly. W I mean one way, one 287 00:15:01,280 --> 00:15:03,360 Speaker 1: direction you can take it is in the direction of 288 00:15:04,440 --> 00:15:06,560 Speaker 1: I think the most difficult bit to disrupt is that 289 00:15:06,680 --> 00:15:09,640 Speaker 1: there is a maturity transformation side of things. So in 290 00:15:09,720 --> 00:15:13,360 Speaker 1: order to play the maturity transformation trick, when you get 291 00:15:13,360 --> 00:15:15,640 Speaker 1: the run on your liabilities because you're playing the maturity 292 00:15:15,680 --> 00:15:17,880 Speaker 1: transformation trick, you know, if you can sayn into the 293 00:15:17,880 --> 00:15:20,840 Speaker 1: Central Bank access you you obviously can then weather a 294 00:15:20,840 --> 00:15:23,080 Speaker 1: few a few cycles and if you don't have access, 295 00:15:23,840 --> 00:15:26,920 Speaker 1: you can't. So we've been thinking about whether you could, 296 00:15:27,080 --> 00:15:29,040 Speaker 1: you know, the central Bank could set up some kind 297 00:15:29,040 --> 00:15:33,840 Speaker 1: of utility which kind of centralizes the maturity transformation aspect 298 00:15:33,880 --> 00:15:37,800 Speaker 1: of things and then allows people to tap into long 299 00:15:37,920 --> 00:15:41,320 Speaker 1: term sources of funding and then lending then just becomes 300 00:15:41,320 --> 00:15:44,520 Speaker 1: a commodity. And similarly, you know, investing in short term 301 00:15:44,560 --> 00:15:47,920 Speaker 1: liabilities as another commodity. So you'd have kind of the 302 00:15:47,960 --> 00:15:51,800 Speaker 1: money market funds type part of the value chain. You'd 303 00:15:51,840 --> 00:15:54,840 Speaker 1: have the pure lender, and then you'd have this money 304 00:15:55,120 --> 00:15:59,640 Speaker 1: money market money transformation utility sitting in the center. So 305 00:16:00,040 --> 00:16:03,040 Speaker 1: charity transformation comes back on the central bank anyway, you know, 306 00:16:03,200 --> 00:16:05,320 Speaker 1: during the crisis that maybe they should be managing it in 307 00:16:05,280 --> 00:16:07,280 Speaker 1: in the first place. So it's just a certainly it's 308 00:16:07,360 --> 00:16:10,760 Speaker 1: kind of a you know, utopian source of this poem, 309 00:16:10,760 --> 00:16:13,480 Speaker 1: But I think that's where you need to get to 310 00:16:13,640 --> 00:16:16,400 Speaker 1: if you really want to open up competition across you know, 311 00:16:16,520 --> 00:16:20,360 Speaker 1: the you know, the the core products of banking. And 312 00:16:20,440 --> 00:16:23,040 Speaker 1: to go back to two thousand eleven, one of the 313 00:16:23,120 --> 00:16:24,920 Speaker 1: lines from your report that really stood out to me 314 00:16:25,160 --> 00:16:28,600 Speaker 1: was the market was once again rewarding the riskiest strategies 315 00:16:28,640 --> 00:16:32,000 Speaker 1: in reference to to investors treatment of banks and the 316 00:16:32,200 --> 00:16:34,880 Speaker 1: around the two thousand and eleven period. And I want 317 00:16:34,960 --> 00:16:37,240 Speaker 1: to know, the market seem doesn't seem to be rewarding 318 00:16:37,320 --> 00:16:40,240 Speaker 1: much right now. What are the risky strategies out there 319 00:16:40,320 --> 00:16:42,880 Speaker 1: right now that you think the market's rewarding that it 320 00:16:42,960 --> 00:16:46,720 Speaker 1: might not be. Well, it's it's a lot more complicated now. 321 00:16:46,760 --> 00:16:50,000 Speaker 1: And I think in the days where you know, you 322 00:16:50,000 --> 00:16:53,640 Speaker 1: could basically create ahold of value just by increasing leverage 323 00:16:53,640 --> 00:16:56,920 Speaker 1: in your bank, um, you know, increasing leverages multiplies your 324 00:16:56,920 --> 00:16:59,680 Speaker 1: return on assets by your leverage and creates return on equity. 325 00:16:59,720 --> 00:17:02,480 Speaker 1: And then it was it was an actually and also 326 00:17:02,560 --> 00:17:05,639 Speaker 1: that leverage also gives makes it look like you're growing 327 00:17:05,680 --> 00:17:08,680 Speaker 1: as well, so you get all these massive p multiple. 328 00:17:08,960 --> 00:17:12,159 Speaker 1: In today's context, you have you know, regulators looking at 329 00:17:12,200 --> 00:17:15,080 Speaker 1: you thinking that you're two leverage and then suddenly forcing 330 00:17:15,119 --> 00:17:18,480 Speaker 1: you to raise capital, which it's never great for share prices. 331 00:17:18,480 --> 00:17:22,439 Speaker 1: So it's it's a lot more complicated. Um. I guess 332 00:17:22,440 --> 00:17:26,000 Speaker 1: the you know, the most successful strategies, which I wouldn't 333 00:17:26,040 --> 00:17:29,159 Speaker 1: necessarily condone, would be the ones where you can basically 334 00:17:29,240 --> 00:17:32,199 Speaker 1: take on more risk and more leverage and then you know, 335 00:17:32,520 --> 00:17:36,040 Speaker 1: but you know, outside of the purview of the regulators 336 00:17:36,080 --> 00:17:38,119 Speaker 1: who are coming in and trying to climb down on it. 337 00:17:38,200 --> 00:17:41,520 Speaker 1: So you know, I guess the risky strategies that might 338 00:17:41,520 --> 00:17:43,520 Speaker 1: be successful in the short term might be the ones 339 00:17:43,560 --> 00:17:45,600 Speaker 1: that are linked to the kind of the shadow banking 340 00:17:45,680 --> 00:17:49,320 Speaker 1: activities where you can actually take you know, take risk 341 00:17:49,400 --> 00:17:53,919 Speaker 1: off outside the radar of the regulators. But you know 342 00:17:53,920 --> 00:17:56,560 Speaker 1: again that that's a very short term as approach which 343 00:17:56,560 --> 00:17:59,920 Speaker 1: will unravel at some point. So yeah, I mean, I 344 00:18:00,359 --> 00:18:02,600 Speaker 1: think I think in general banks it's all about it's 345 00:18:02,640 --> 00:18:05,560 Speaker 1: all about costs at this point. I think the risk 346 00:18:05,800 --> 00:18:07,920 Speaker 1: is generally a commodity. You know, you generally get paid 347 00:18:07,920 --> 00:18:11,080 Speaker 1: for the risks risk. The more risk you take, more 348 00:18:11,080 --> 00:18:14,359 Speaker 1: return you gets pretty old cliche, but the I think 349 00:18:14,400 --> 00:18:17,080 Speaker 1: banks really need to differentiate themselves on costs at this point. 350 00:18:17,160 --> 00:18:19,800 Speaker 1: I think the trying to get back to the old 351 00:18:19,880 --> 00:18:22,600 Speaker 1: days of fifty two one leverage just isn't going to happen. 352 00:18:22,600 --> 00:18:24,679 Speaker 1: So that's not going to be the way of boosting 353 00:18:24,680 --> 00:18:26,960 Speaker 1: return and extually going forward. It's got to be, you know, 354 00:18:26,960 --> 00:18:32,800 Speaker 1: a leaner operation, alright, barrier. Last question, are you um 355 00:18:32,920 --> 00:18:34,840 Speaker 1: when you go back and look at this report, which 356 00:18:35,400 --> 00:18:38,520 Speaker 1: you know, does seem fairly prescient five years later, are 357 00:18:38,560 --> 00:18:41,480 Speaker 1: you proud of what you've done? Are you happy? Or 358 00:18:41,600 --> 00:18:44,840 Speaker 1: do you feel frustration that some of these eventualities are 359 00:18:44,840 --> 00:18:47,240 Speaker 1: actually playing out in the market even though there were 360 00:18:47,320 --> 00:18:51,840 Speaker 1: warnings about them. How do you actually feel about it now? Yeah? Well, 361 00:18:52,040 --> 00:18:55,119 Speaker 1: our I think the last line and the report was 362 00:18:55,200 --> 00:18:58,840 Speaker 1: that the you know this, the crisis are not avoidable. 363 00:18:58,840 --> 00:19:00,760 Speaker 1: We call it an avoidable his you, But the reality 364 00:19:00,880 --> 00:19:04,760 Speaker 1: is crises are not avoidable. You basically will get you 365 00:19:05,160 --> 00:19:08,840 Speaker 1: a business cycle continuing forever, and we'll we'll see financial 366 00:19:08,880 --> 00:19:12,120 Speaker 1: crisis every five or ten years. I think what we 367 00:19:12,440 --> 00:19:14,680 Speaker 1: what I would be proud of would be if I 368 00:19:14,720 --> 00:19:18,840 Speaker 1: had helped any any banks avoid being the victims of 369 00:19:18,880 --> 00:19:21,399 Speaker 1: the of the crisis, or whether we've helped you know, 370 00:19:21,480 --> 00:19:24,359 Speaker 1: regulators better prepare for the crisis this time around, and 371 00:19:24,440 --> 00:19:26,359 Speaker 1: you know, we will see the result of that, you know, 372 00:19:26,440 --> 00:19:29,040 Speaker 1: this time as effectively, what when I'm seeing is a 373 00:19:29,080 --> 00:19:31,879 Speaker 1: real stress test where there's an emerging markets crisis and 374 00:19:31,920 --> 00:19:35,199 Speaker 1: we're seeing we will see you know, who withstands that well. 375 00:19:35,320 --> 00:19:38,119 Speaker 1: And I guess the regulators that have helped their banks 376 00:19:38,200 --> 00:19:40,960 Speaker 1: prepare well and recapitalized, we'll see that those banks whether 377 00:19:41,000 --> 00:19:43,879 Speaker 1: the storm quite well are the ones that haven't you 378 00:19:44,320 --> 00:19:47,240 Speaker 1: may see some problems. So you know, as I was mentioned, 379 00:19:47,280 --> 00:19:50,679 Speaker 1: I think, you know, it wasn't popular with the commodities traders, 380 00:19:50,680 --> 00:19:53,320 Speaker 1: and I think a lot of banks withdrew quite heavily 381 00:19:53,359 --> 00:19:56,600 Speaker 1: out of commodities over the last few years prior to 382 00:19:56,640 --> 00:19:59,560 Speaker 1: the product quality crisis. So hopefully there have been some 383 00:19:59,600 --> 00:20:03,200 Speaker 1: aspect of those helping you know, banks um avoid some 384 00:20:03,240 --> 00:20:05,359 Speaker 1: of the losses that that that would wed otherwise be 385 00:20:05,400 --> 00:20:09,320 Speaker 1: happening now. So yeah, I guess I'm happy with with 386 00:20:09,359 --> 00:20:11,040 Speaker 1: the results. But you know, as I said, we haven't 387 00:20:11,080 --> 00:20:13,040 Speaker 1: we haven't seen this play out yet, so it'll be 388 00:20:13,080 --> 00:20:15,399 Speaker 1: interesting to see who the winners and losers are in 389 00:20:15,400 --> 00:20:18,679 Speaker 1: the actual, the actual crisis that happens now. All right, 390 00:20:18,760 --> 00:20:22,200 Speaker 1: on that cheerful note, Barry, thank you so much, Thanks guys, 391 00:20:22,320 --> 00:20:26,680 Speaker 1: Just all right, Luke, Well, I have a feeling that 392 00:20:26,800 --> 00:20:28,800 Speaker 1: Joe is going to be mad at us for going 393 00:20:28,880 --> 00:20:31,720 Speaker 1: really wonky in that discussion. But I enjoyed it. I 394 00:20:31,720 --> 00:20:34,120 Speaker 1: found it really interesting. What do you think I mean, 395 00:20:34,160 --> 00:20:37,399 Speaker 1: I certainly did to. One thing that would have been 396 00:20:37,480 --> 00:20:41,760 Speaker 1: nice to get to was Barry was really worried about 397 00:20:41,760 --> 00:20:44,480 Speaker 1: the treatment of of sovereigns. And you know, there's a 398 00:20:44,480 --> 00:20:47,479 Speaker 1: certain point to be made that financial crazies, and especially 399 00:20:47,520 --> 00:20:50,639 Speaker 1: the last one, it's it's a product of banks having 400 00:20:50,960 --> 00:20:52,760 Speaker 1: a lot of assets on their balance sheet that they 401 00:20:52,760 --> 00:20:56,320 Speaker 1: think are safe but aren't so. And he predicted that 402 00:20:56,440 --> 00:20:58,680 Speaker 1: kind of the the h q l A, that those 403 00:20:58,720 --> 00:21:02,120 Speaker 1: kind of moves would eventually end up in the same thing, 404 00:21:02,359 --> 00:21:06,439 Speaker 1: with highly indebted Western nations being forced to restructure. And 405 00:21:06,560 --> 00:21:09,760 Speaker 1: right now the markets saying that that's just not the case. 406 00:21:09,840 --> 00:21:12,800 Speaker 1: Market is very willing to lend forever to you know, 407 00:21:12,840 --> 00:21:15,600 Speaker 1: anyone with a printing press, and even European nations that 408 00:21:15,680 --> 00:21:18,240 Speaker 1: don't have them right. So instead of seeing a sovereign 409 00:21:18,280 --> 00:21:21,400 Speaker 1: debt crisis, if anything, we've seen almost the opposite, especially 410 00:21:21,440 --> 00:21:25,399 Speaker 1: as markets have sold off recently. UM. I guess the 411 00:21:25,440 --> 00:21:27,280 Speaker 1: other thing that I was thinking, you know, I don't 412 00:21:27,280 --> 00:21:32,400 Speaker 1: want listeners to come away thinking that consultancies are always geniuses. Um. 413 00:21:32,640 --> 00:21:37,960 Speaker 1: We've seen Oliver Wyman make poorer recommendations before, for instance, 414 00:21:38,400 --> 00:21:41,840 Speaker 1: telling ubs to go all in fixed income in two 415 00:21:41,880 --> 00:21:45,560 Speaker 1: thousand seven. That wasn't such a great recommendation. But I 416 00:21:45,600 --> 00:21:49,560 Speaker 1: think when people talk about this kind of stuff five 417 00:21:49,640 --> 00:21:52,320 Speaker 1: years before it happens, it does deserve some attention. So 418 00:21:52,440 --> 00:21:56,879 Speaker 1: I liked hearing about the reaction to the report in Davos, 419 00:21:56,880 --> 00:21:59,480 Speaker 1: how people felt about it at the time. The idea 420 00:21:59,520 --> 00:22:03,680 Speaker 1: that Commodo at these trainers were upset is kind of amusing. Now. 421 00:22:04,640 --> 00:22:06,560 Speaker 1: I didn't like to hear the idea that he thinks, 422 00:22:06,960 --> 00:22:09,679 Speaker 1: you know, it's just a matter of time before this 423 00:22:09,720 --> 00:22:12,439 Speaker 1: plays out. That doesn't exactly paint a great picture of 424 00:22:12,440 --> 00:22:15,399 Speaker 1: what we're in for and what we'll be writing about. No, 425 00:22:15,720 --> 00:22:18,680 Speaker 1: that's very true. Well, I think we should wrap it up. 426 00:22:19,280 --> 00:22:22,280 Speaker 1: Thank you Luke for joining me today. My pleasure, Hope 427 00:22:22,320 --> 00:22:25,280 Speaker 1: I followed the shoes. This is another episode of odd Lots. 428 00:22:25,359 --> 00:22:29,440 Speaker 1: Tune in next week for another one, potentially less scheeky 429 00:22:29,560 --> 00:22:32,480 Speaker 1: than this one. Joe should be back by then. I'm 430 00:22:32,520 --> 00:22:35,800 Speaker 1: Tracy Alloway, Executive editor of Bloomberg Markets. You can catch 431 00:22:35,800 --> 00:22:39,159 Speaker 1: me on Twitter at Tracy Alloway, and I'm Lukewa, reporter 432 00:22:39,200 --> 00:22:41,639 Speaker 1: at Bloomberg Markets. You can also catch me on Twitter 433 00:22:41,840 --> 00:22:54,919 Speaker 1: at l j Kewa. Joe and I are very proud 434 00:22:54,960 --> 00:22:57,639 Speaker 1: of our new podcast add Thoughts, but we are also 435 00:22:57,800 --> 00:23:01,800 Speaker 1: very proud of Bloomberg's other growing suite of original podcast 436 00:23:01,920 --> 00:23:04,960 Speaker 1: all designed to help you navigate the complexities of business, 437 00:23:05,080 --> 00:23:08,879 Speaker 1: financial markets, and the global economy. So in addition to 438 00:23:08,960 --> 00:23:12,520 Speaker 1: our own podcast, please don't miss Benchmark with Dan Moss, 439 00:23:12,600 --> 00:23:16,640 Speaker 1: Tory Stillwell and Aki Edo and informative jargon free look 440 00:23:16,680 --> 00:23:19,840 Speaker 1: at the inner workings of the global economy. Then there's 441 00:23:19,920 --> 00:23:21,920 Speaker 1: Deal of the Week with our M and A reporter 442 00:23:22,000 --> 00:23:24,480 Speaker 1: Alec Sherman, which is a breakdown of the biggest M 443 00:23:24,520 --> 00:23:26,960 Speaker 1: and A deals and gives you an inside peak at 444 00:23:26,960 --> 00:23:31,560 Speaker 1: corporate boardrooms. All three shows are available on iTunes, SoundCloud, 445 00:23:31,680 --> 00:23:34,920 Speaker 1: pocket Cast for Android, Bloomberg dot Com, and of course 446 00:23:35,000 --> 00:23:35,960 Speaker 1: the Bloomberg terminal