Research Takeaways, Week of Nov. 20-26, 2011

World News:

Apparently, not all countries have lost their minds in the area of personal and government debt.  “Last Friday, Bank Negara Malaysia unveiled guidelines on responsible lending by banks.  In a nutshell, individuals will have to go through a more exhaustive process when applying for loans…,” reports Citi Investment Research and Analysis in a Nov. 20, 2011 report.  Good for Malaysia!

This recent announcement is part of a multi-year series of rules and restrictions adopted in Malaysia, aimed at curbing household debt levels. Borrowers are now subjected to more limits on real estate loan-to-value ratios, a cap on civil servants’ debt-service ratios, fewer maximum years committed to car loans, elimination of early-payoff penalties on loans, and more stringent requirements when seeking credit approval.

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