Competing on Realistic Terms
Given the improving economic outlook, interest rates cannot be expected to stay at their current low levels for very long. In fact, some economists are projecting that by the second half of next year, the central bank may have to increase the overnight policy rate (OPR).
The latest decision or rather the perceived united decision by some of the biggest banks in this country to raise mortgage rates and do away with some of the freebies, including the waiver of legal fees on documentation, really has nothing to do with a possible rise in rate next year. The mortgage rates are floating rates any way.
Several banks have decided to raise mortgage rates at the same time, though, has sparked questions on whether this is healthy for an industry that operates in a competitive environment.
While there have been denials of collusions, it has nonetheless raised a few eyebrows, more so when earlier this year, some banks also raise and “standardize” hire-purchase (HP) rates at around the same time.
It becomes a real concern if the coordinated move to raise HP and mortgage rates sets a precedent where we begin to see more of such collaboration in the future.
(a) Based on the article above, state TWO signs of collusion that might possibly happen in the local banking industry. -4m
-- some of the biggest banks in this country to raise mortgage rates and do away with some of the freebies, including the waiver of legal fees on documentation
(Price leadership)
-- some banks also raise and “standardize” hire-purchase (HP) rates at around the same time. (cartel)
(b) Our local banking industry is fall under which type of market structure? Explain.-6m
-Oligopoly
result from signs of collusion between local banking industry by charge higher interest to loan borrowers.
- Amount of local bank in Malaysia are less than 10 which sell homogeneous and differentiated product and services .
Eg: (H)financial services,(D) unit trust fund management
-mutually independent between bankers.
Eg: change of the interest rate of a Maybank may affect the amount of depositors of the other banks.
(c) Explain the negative impacts on social welfare if local banks really collude.-6m
-Collusion to raises profits of the participants by means of charging a higher interest to loan borrowers - consumers will be worse off since they have to spend more resources
-Collusion is able to considerably harm consumers. Not only will some consumers pay more for the same good relative to the competitive situation, some other consumers will also leave the market all together since they cannot afford the respective product anymore. Both effects, the overcharge and the deadweight loss, have a negative impact on consumer welfare.
(d) Discuss the main measure taken by government to prevent problem of collusion among the business enterprises.-4m
-Monetary Policy
-installing proper laws ruling out anticompetitive behavior by firms.
第二段
some of the biggest banks in this country to raise mortgage rates and do away with some of the freebies, including the waiver of legal fees on documentation (cheating? sign of collusion?),
really has nothing to do with a possible rise in rate next year. The mortgage rates are floating rates any way. (不懂什么意思)
和第四段
While there have been denials of collusions, it has nonetheless raised a few eyebrows (?),
more so when earlier this year, some banks also raise and “standardize” hire-purchase (HP) rates at around the same time.(Cartel formed ? Collusion?) 作者: 山鹿 时间: 2013-6-16 07:19 PM
do away with some of the freebies<<等于废除掉某些费用, 然后你这里写着(ncluding the waiver of legal fees on documentation )是废除费用,所以这两个东西所写的,等于那些银行不是cheating,因为它没骗顾客,相反的几间大银行在同一个industry里面,market很容易被他们控制,所以是oligopoly ,collusion.是勾结,在oligopoly market里,(几间公司在一起合作谋取顾客的利益)是最长发生的,所以应该是collusion。。。(我解释很乱,希望你看得明)
第4段的,
第4段和第2段的是有关系,(some banks also raise and “standardize” hire-purchase (HP) rates at around the same time.)<<这个是指几间银行同时raise还有统一化那个(hp)rate,这里能证明他们是有勾结,如果他们是form a cartel,你的文章会出现,there is an agreement between bank (form a cartel是指有合约的合作),可是上面的短文并未提到,所以在这里应该是私自“勾结”,所以应该是collusion.. 作者: adelynntan 时间: 2013-6-17 11:22 PM
我需要(b)的答案~!!plssss