--%>

Discount rate-Prime rate and the Subprime rates of interest

What is the difference among the discount rate, prime rate and the subprime rates of interest? Which interest rate in particular build the 2008 recession? Explain how that happened.

E

Expert

Verified

Discount rate refers to that interest rate which would be charged by the Federal bank to the depository institutions for borrowing its reserves. Prime rate refers to that which banks charge the creditworthy customers and is just 3 percentage points over fed funds rate. When the creditworthiness lowers, the interest rate increases. Subprime rates refer to those charged on subprime loans offered to the less creditworthy customers. Both prime and subprime rates are charged on all loans offered by banks and differs based on the creditworthiness of the customer.

Subprime interest rates
created the 2008 recession. Sales of single family homes peaked in 2005, with the increase in population as well as the need for home ownership, which resulted in a housing boom leading to rocketing home prices. As the prices surged upwards drastically, homes became more expensive and the subprime interest rates were also high. Subprime loans with adjustable rates, extremely low or no down payments, etc were offered and borrowed with the hope that they can be paid off when the prices escalate more. However, owing to fraudulent transactions, subprime mortgage defaults emerged, which led to the fall in home sales in 2006 which eventually led to the end of price escalation. With the prices much lower than the purchase price, more and more mortgage loans were defaulted, which led to the failure and shutdown of a few well-known banks. Thus this created the 2008 recession

   Related Questions in Macroeconomics

  • Q : Purchasing good according to Law of

    The market price you pay for each and every particular goods you purchase regularly is probably most closely associated with the last unit of each and every good’s: (1) Marginal utility. (2) Total utility. (3) Producer surplus. (4) Consumer surplus. (5) Economic

  • Q : Nations wealth Adam Smith disputed that

    Adam Smith disputed that a nation’s wealth is, not the gold it possesses, but instead its: (1) Total population. (2) Capability to offer goods for its people. (3) Domestic financial capital. (4) Foreign investments. (5) Military might.

  • Q : Net revenue when price increases Net

    Net revenue for Macho Man fake mustaches increases after the price raised from $5 to $7, pointing that demand faced by Macho Man was: (i) Relatively elastic. (ii) Relatively inelastic. (iii) Unitarily elastic. (iv) Perfectly inelastic. (v) Perfectly e

  • Q : Discount rate-Prime rate and the

    What is the difference among the discount rate, prime rate and the subprime rates of interest? Which interest rate in particular build the 2008 recession? Explain how that happened.

  • Q : Levels of income with no exceptions for

    A flat rate income tax for all levels of income along with no exceptions would be taken as a: (i) proportional tax. (ii) progressive tax. (iii) regressive tax. (iv) common tax. Can anybody suggest me the proper exp

  • Q : Paradox of Value problem I have a

    I have a problem in economics on Paradox of Value problem. Please help me in the following question. The Diamond Water Paradox occurs from the difficulties in differentiating between: (i) Consumer surplus and the total utility. (ii) Total utility and

  • Q : About macroeconomics Do you think that

    Do you think that macroeconomic policy should be designed to achieve a measured unemployment rate of zero? Why or why not should this be the case?

  • Q : Steps to analyze modifications in

    What are the Steps to analyze modifications in equilibrium?

  • Q : From the heterodox approach From the

    From the heterodox approach, what options does the enterprise have to produce more output? What impact do these options have on its cost structure?

  • Q : Calculating exchange rate 10 US dollars

    10 US dollars are exchanged for 500 Indian rupees. Calculate the exchange rate for Indian currency? Answer: $1 = 500/10 = Rs.50, that is, $1 = Rs. 50