0_Wizard
I am a Finance major in college. I study investments and financial products.
Finance is a field that deals with the study of investments.
chosen_Finance_0
Finance
chosen_topic_0_Finance
Islamic banking and finance
Islamic banking or Islamic finance () or sharia-compliant finance is banking or financing activity that complies with sharia (Islamic law) and its practical application through the development of Islamic economics. Some of the modes of Islamic banking/finance include "Mudarabah" (Profit sharing and loss bearing), "Wadiah" (safekeeping), "Musharaka" (joint venture), "Murabahah" (cost plus), and "Ijar" (leasing). Sharia prohibits "riba", or usury, defined as interest paid on all loans of money (although some Muslims dispute whether there is a consensus that interest is equivalent to "riba"). Investment in businesses that provide goods or services considered contrary to Islamic principles (e.g.
Assessments, controversies, challenges in Islamic finance
Islamic banking and finance — the industry built around avoiding interest and other financial practices found in violation of sharia (Islamic law) — has been both praised and criticized by observers. The industry has been praised for turning a "theory" into an industry that has grown to about $2 trillion in size; for attracting new banking users who otherwise would not have used banking services (due to religious objections to conventional banking), drawing non-Muslim bankers into the field, and (according to other supporters) introducing a more stable, less risky form of finance. However, the industry has also been criticized as undermining its own "raison d'être" and having moved in the wrong direction over the decades — leading both outsiders and rank and file Muslims to question it.
Subprime mortgage crisis
The United States (U.S.) subprime mortgage crisis was a nationwide banking emergency, occurring between 2007-2010, which contributed to the U.S. recession of December 2007 – June 2009. It was triggered by a large decline in home prices after the collapse of a housing bubble, leading to mortgage delinquencies and foreclosures and the devaluation of housing-related securities. Declines in residential investment preceded the recession and were followed by reductions in household spending and then business investment. Spending reductions were more significant in areas with a combination of high household debt and larger housing price declines.
Causes of the Great Recession
Many factors directly and indirectly caused the Great Recession (which started in 2007 with the US subprime mortgage crisis), with experts and economists placing different weights on particular causes. Major causes of the initial subprime mortgage crisis and following recession include: International trade imbalances and lax lending standards contributing to high levels of developed country household debt and real-estate bubbles that have since burst; U.S. government housing policies; and limited regulation of non-depository financial institutions. Once the recession began, various responses were attempted with different degrees of success.
Subprime mortgage crisis solutions debate
The Subprime mortgage crisis solutions debate discusses various actions and proposals by economists, government officials, journalists, and business leaders to address the subprime mortgage crisis and broader financial crisis of 2007–08. The debate concerns both immediate responses to the ongoing subprime mortgage crisis, as well as long-term reforms to the global financial system. During 2008-2009, solutions focused on support for ailing financial institutions and economies. During 2010, debate continued regarding the nature of reform. Key points include: the split-up of large banks; whether depository banks and investment banks should be separated; whether banks should be able to make risky trades on their own accounts; how to wind-down large investment banks and other non-depository financial institutions without taxpayer impact; the extent of financial cushions that each institution should maintain (leverage restrictions); the creation of a consumer protection agency for financial products; and how to regulate derivatives.
Financial crisis of 2007–2008
The financial crisis of 2007–2008, also known as the global financial crisis and the 2008 financial crisis, is considered by many economists to have been the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression of the 1930s. It began in 2007 with a crisis in the subprime mortgage market in the US, and developed into a full-blown international banking crisis with the collapse of the investment bank Lehman Brothers on September 15, 2008. Excessive risk-taking by banks such as Lehman Brothers helped to magnify the financial impact globally. Massive bail-outs of financial institutions and other palliative monetary and fiscal policies were employed to prevent a possible collapse of the world financial system.
Goldman Sachs
The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. is an American multinational finance company that engages in global investment banking, investment management, securities, and other financial services including asset management, mergers and acquisitions advice, prime brokerage, and securities underwriting services. It also sponsors private equity funds, is a market maker, and is a primary dealer in the United States Treasury security market. Goldman Sachs also owns GS Bank USA, a direct bank. Goldman Sachs was founded in 1869 and is headquartered at 200 West Street in Lower Manhattan, New York City, with additional offices in other international financial centers.
1_Apprentice
That sounds very interesting. Is it a complicated thing to study?