Silicon Valley Assignment Group 4

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Jan 9, 2024

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Silicon Valley Bank International Banking and Finance INT702 (Sec-004) Prof. Andrea Thompson-Facey July 29 th , 2023 Submitted By: Fani Rami- 301243313
Gurupriya Krishnakumar Nair- 301212373 Nitika Sharma- 301301215 Riya Roy- 301231800 1. How did the secondary market fail SVB? ANSWER: The secondary market, which allows investors to trade bonds with one another, was an extremely important factor in enabling SVB to sell its long-term bonds at prices that were seen to be fair. However, the failure of SVB cannot be completely linked to the secondary market because it is essentially a venue for investors to trade pre-existing financial instruments. The secondary market is not an independent factor. The primary factor that contributed to the downfall of SVB was the substantial and precarious wager the company made on the persistence of historically low-interest rates. The bank engaged in market speculation by utilizing the funds deposited by its customers to acquire bonds with a substantial value amounting to billions of dollars. Nevertheless, the depreciation in the value of these assets has ensued due to the escalated interest rates, thereby diminishing their attractiveness when contrasted with bonds that have been issued within the current framework of elevated interest rates. The customer base of SVB consisting predominantly of startups and businesses with a technology focus, is observed to be withdrawing their savings from the bank. Consequently. Silicon valley bank encountered difficulties in achieving success within the secondary market, primarily due to its speculative investment decision and the subsequent decline in the value of its holdings regarding United States Treasury bonds. The financial institution known as SVB faced significant challenges related to liquidity and bond pricing, resulting in a notable decline in its deposit holdings and an elevated risk of insolvency. Consequently. Silicon valley bank encountered difficulties in achieving success within the secondary market, primarily due to its speculative investment decision and the subsequent decline in the value of its holdings regarding United States Treasury bonds. The financial institution known as SVB faced significant challenges related to liquidity and bond pricing, resulting in a notable decline in its deposit holdings and an elevated risk of insolvency. 2. Could SVB utilize the primary market to save the bank? If yes, why? If no, why not? ANSWER: SVB could be able to save the bank by using the primary market, but this would rely on a few variables. New securities, such as stocks and bonds, are first issued and sold to investors
directly on the main market. The following factors should be considered: SVB could consider issuing more equity shares as a means of raising funds. By selling shares to new investors, the bank would generate additional capital for its operations. This influx of funds could enhance the bank's financial standing and help offset potential losses incurred from its ill-fated investments in long-term bond (Marks,2023). In addition to offering shares, SVB may decide to issue additional bonds in the primary market to raise money. However, if proper risk management mechanisms are not in place, persuading investors to buy the bank's bonds may prove difficult. This challenge results from the bank's previous issues, which were brought on by its reliance on long-term debts (Demos, 2023) SVB could look at collaborating with other financial institutions or IT firms that are prepared to invest in the bank. Such partnerships would not only bring in more funding but also beneficial knowledge and synergies that may aid in the bank's future revival. The SVB's fatal situation made it difficult to attract new investors or issue securities on favourable terms due to the panic among depositors and the bank's demise, despite the potential advantages of using the primary market. Even if SVB had been successful in raising some money, it would not have been enough to deal with the pressing trust and liquidity issues. To avoid a domino effect that would hurt other banks and the economy, the government and American authorities adopted a cautious strategy and insured all deposits. Given the bank's exposure to IT businesses and the potential for job losses and bankruptcies in the industry, the focus was on re-establishing stability and trust in the financial system. 3. How did social media and technology influence the failure of SVB? ANSWER: The failure of Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) did have an impact on social media and digital banking technology that played a key role in the events that led to its collapse. One of the main reasons for the rapid decline of SVB was banking activities fueled by social media and digital banking technology. These platforms facilitated the rapid dissemination of
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information and enabled customers to access their accounts with unprecedented ease. As rumors and information spread across social media channels, panic and fear gripped savers, causing a huge outflow from the bank. The dramatic reach of social media platforms fueled the size and speed of the bank’s move. The power of social media to accelerate communication played a key role in the bank’s move. Real-time updates and instant distribution capabilities enabled individuals to inform and alert others, creating greater fear and suspicion. Influencers who had a large following and were able to persuade people had a greater impact on savers’ decisions, increasing savings. The failure of the SVB highlights the dangers of the financial sector’s increasing reliance on social media and technology. As more banks embrace digital strategies, they can face the same risks. The scale of social media can quickly amplify any potential negative news or sentiment, leaving banks more vulnerable to sudden changes. In conclusion, the failure of the Silicon Valley bank can be attributed in part to the enormous impact of social media and digital banking technology. The rapid dissemination of information, easy access to the internet and influential influence played an important role in the acceleration of banking activity. This cautionary tale serves as a stark reminder to financial institutions of the importance of managing the risks associated with social media and digital platforms while reinforcing the need for thorough crisis management density in modern banks is strong. 4. How did asymmetric information contribute to the collapse of SVB? ANSWER: Asymmetric information played a crucial and detrimental role in the eventual collapse of Silicon Valley Bank (SVB). This term describes an imbalance in information distribution between parties engaged in a financial transaction or arrangement, resulting in one party gaining a decision-making advantage over the other. In the case of SVB, the majority of its depositors were Bay Area tech startups that held accounts with balances that go beyond the $250,000 limit covered by the federal government's insurance. These startups placed their trust in SVB to safeguard their funds but were not fully aware of the bank's risky investment strategies. Specifically, they had little insight into SVB's significant exposure to long-term bonds and unhedged bets on interest rates. (Hetler, 2023) On the contrary, SVB's management and decision-makers possessed a deeper understanding of the bank's investment practices and associated risks. They were well aware of the substantial exposure to long-term bonds and the vulnerability the bank faced if interest rates moved
unfavorably. This information asymmetry between SVB's management and its depositors created a situation where the start-ups, lacking awareness of the bank's risky bets, continued to entrust their funds to SVB. Consequently, when the true extent of SVB's financial troubles came to light, panic ensued among the depositors, who were caught off guard. Had they been privy to the bank's actual financial health, they might have taken pre-emptive measures to safeguard their funds before it was too late. The lack of transparency and complete information regarding SVB's financial health and investment strategy significantly contributed to the rational panic among depositors and ultimately led to the rapid collapse of the bank. In this sense, the failure of SVB can be largely attributed to asymmetric information, where the bank held more knowledge about its risky bets than its depositors, putting the latter at a severe disadvantage. (Fang et al., 2023) This unfortunate event underscores the importance of transparency and open communication between financial institutions and their customers. Had SVB been more forthcoming about its investment practices and potential risks, depositors might have been better equipped to make informed decisions about the safety of their funds. The collapse of SVB serves as a poignant reminder that mitigating information asymmetry is vital to fostering a stable and resilient financial system that can withstand unforeseen challenges.
References 1. CBC/Radio Canada. (2023, March 12). What caused the Silicon Valley bank failure, and what might happen next | CBC News . CBCnews. https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/silicon-valley-bank-failure-explainer-1.6776182 2. Demos, T (2023). What Happened With Silicon Valley Bank.?. The Wall street Journal. https://www.wsj.com/articles/silicon-valley-bank-svb-financial-what-is-happening- 299e9b65 3. Fang, L., Snellman, K., Munroe, D. G., & Zeisberger, C. (2023, March 30). Risks and regulations: The Silicon Valley Bank collapse . INSEAD Knowledge. https://knowledge.insead.edu/economics-finance/risks-and-regulations-silicon-valley- bank-collapse 4. Hetler, A. (2023, March 27). Silicon Valley Bank collapse explained: What you need to know . WhatIs.com. https://www.techtarget.com/whatis/feature/Silicon-Valley-Bank- collapse-explained-What-you-need-to-know 5. Macheel, T. (2023, April 24). Social media raises bank run risk, fueled Silicon Valley Bank’s collapse, paper says. CNBC. https://www.cnbc.com/2023/04/24/social-media- raises-bank-run-risk-fueled-svbs-collapse-paper-says.html 6. Marks, H (2023). Lessons from Silicon Valley Bank. OakTree https://www.oaktreecapital.com/insights/memo/lessons-from-silicon-valley-bank 7. Mello Jr, J. (2023, May 2). Social media fueled the run on Silicon Valley Bank: Study. TechNewsWorld. https://www.technewsworld.com/story/social-media-fueled-the-run-on- silicon-valley-bank-study-178230.html 8. Murray, C. (2023, March 14). What to know about silicon valley bank’s collapse-the biggest bank failure since 2008 . Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/conormurray/2023/03/13/what-to-know-about-silicon- valley-banks-collapse-the-biggest-bank-failure-since-2008/?sh=5b13b1b54c27
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