Chapter 1
Introduction
Financial services firms are in the business of accepting risk. Primary aims of any financial services firm are collect and manage risks on behalf of their customers and make a profit for its shareholders. We may define ‘Risks’ as uncertainties resulting in adverse outcome, adverse in relation to planned objective or expectations. In the financial arena, enterprise risks can be broadly categorized as credit risk, operational risk, market risk and other risk. Credit risk is the oldest and important risk which banks exposure and important of credit risk and credit risk management are increasing with time because of some reasons like economic crises and stagnation, company bankruptcies, infraction of rules in company accounting and audits, growth of off-balance sheet derivatives, declining and volatile values of collateral, borrowing more easily of small firms, financial globalisation and BIS risk-based capital requirements. Credit risk can be defined as the risk of losses caused by the default of borrowers. Default occurs when a borrower can not meet his financial obligations. Credit risk can alternatively be defined as the risk that a borrower deteriorates in credit quality. This definition also includes the default of the borrower as the most extreme deterioration in credit quality. Credit risk is managed at both the transaction and portfolio levels. But, banks increasingly measure and manage the credit risk on a portfolio basis instead of on a loan-by-loan. In credit risk management banks use various methods such as credit limits, taking collateral, diversification, loan selling, syndicated loans, credit insurance, securitisation and credit derivatives. Credit risk is considered as a critical factor that needs to be managed by the banks and financial institutions.
Credit Risk Management process permits the banks to proactively manage