Housing Market Crisis And The Stock Market

The global credit crisis has its indelible effect on the stock markets around the world as they are suffering terrible loses. The US housing market has collapsed as loans were handed out to people without income, jobs or assets. But when the interest rates are low the poor credit histories can relax as the banks have the option to repossess and make a profit on the property. But now when the stock market is heading towards a recession, it happens to be all about thriving in the depression market.

The bad mortgages are the prime reason on why the building societies are going kaput. The financial engineering and the globalization of the finance market has actually aggravated and spread the crisis. To counter this problem, the ‘collateral debt obligation’ was ideated, and this bond was thought to be a good investment option as the mortgages were backed by property. But as the mortgage saga happened to be faulty itself, the bond never yielded positive results and a whole lot of banks in the US, France and Germany have refused to value funds which are backed by these debt instruments.   

This has led to a slump in the interest rates and if the stock market further slumps, it will chip away the possibility of any probable rise in the rates. So, naturally it is not a high time for the stock market shareholders. Every fall will make them cumulatively poorer. The fundamentals have always been the same, which is to buy low and sell high. Therefore, the investors must not panic and start selling their shares. Stock market investment on a particular medium should always be on a long term basis. But if the investor has touched the burning pie called the high risk investment, in the form of hedge funds, contracts for difference and spread betting, it is casualty guaranteed. 

With the housing market grinding to a halt aided with the stock market slump, there will be a severe cut down on the expensive mortgages. Even if a low single digit growth in the housing prices can be achieved, that can be the ‘best’ possible accomplishment.

But with respect to the shares, it will be wrong to predict a total meltdown. According to the International Monetary Fund, this current crisis is manageable, since the world’s Central banks are squeezing in funds into the stock market. But the stock market cannot cease to be apprehensive.