Mortgage-Backed Securities (MBS)are designed to addressprepayment risk, which arises when borrowers pay off their mortgages earlier than expected. Prepayments reduce the interest income investors receive and can affect the expected return on the security.
* Why Prepayment Risk is Addressed:
* Prepayment often occurs when interest rates decline, as borrowers refinance their mortgages. This leaves MBS investors reinvesting at lower yields, which impacts returns.
* Structuring MBS helps mitigate prepayment risk through mechanisms like tranches in Collateralized Mortgage Obligations (CMOs).
* Explanation of Options:
* A. Liquidity: Incorrect. MBS provides liquidity to lenders but is not designed to address liquidity risk directly.
* B. Interest Rate: Incorrect. MBS investors are still exposed to interest rate risk as rates impact prepayment behavior.
* C. Rollover: Incorrect. Rollover risk applies to short-term debt securities, not MBS.
* D. Prepayment: Correct. MBS structures are specifically designed to mitigate the impact of prepayments on investors.
References:
* CSC Volume 2, Chapter 23: Risks of structured products, particularly prepayment risks in MBS.