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Wrong-way risk

A FRM term, defined in plain English with the distinction examiners test.

What it means

Exposure to a counterparty that rises precisely as that counterparty’s creditworthiness falls.

The exam angle

Buying protection on a bank from that same bank is the canonical example. Right-way risk is the benign opposite.

Where it appears in the syllabus

Related terms

  • Adverse selectionThe problem that arises when the party with better information self-selects into a transaction, leaving the…
  • CollateralAssets pledged to secure an exposure, reducing loss if the counterparty defaults.
  • Counterparty credit riskThe risk that the other side of a derivative defaults before settling, when the contract has positive value to you.
  • Credit default swapA contract in which the buyer pays a periodic premium and receives compensation if a specified borrower suffers a…
  • Credit spreadThe extra yield a borrower pays over a risk-free benchmark of the same maturity, compensating for default and…
  • Credit valuation adjustmentThe reduction in a derivative’s value to reflect the possibility that the counterparty defaults.

Educational content only. This is not financial, investment, legal or regulatory advice. Check the official curriculum for your own exam before relying on any definition here.

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