During a Congressional Committee hearing at which Goldman Sachs CEO Lloyd Blankfein testified, Senator David Pryor of Arkansas asked Blankfein, "Why would clients believe in Goldman Sachs?" Blankfein replied that Goldman Sachs was acting as a market maker for the Abacus CDOs and that a market maker shouldn't be responsible for determining whether the securities it buys and sells are appropriate for every investor: "The markets couldn't work if you had to make sure it was good for them."
a. What is a market maker?
b. Does a market maker have different responsibilities than a financial firm that is providing investment advice for clients?
c. Do you agree with Blankfein that "the markets couldn't work if [market makers] had to make sure it was good for [investors]"? Briefly explain.