While systemic risk—the risk of wholesale failure of banksand other financial institutions—is generally consideredto be the primary reason for supervision and regulation of thebanking industry, almost all regulatory rules treat such risk inisolation. In particular, they do not account for...

The boom in nonprime mortgage lending that occurred inthe United States between 2004 and 2006 was quicklyfollowed by rapid increases in the rate of delinquencies andforeclosures on these loans.1 This pronounced deteriorationalarmed investors, the public, and policymakers.2...