For example, the rapid growth of emerging economies significantly increased the demand for resources such as crude oil, and led to a surge in commodity prices. Investors and financial institutions eased their credit standards, and a global credit bubble emerged, as seen in the U.S. subprime mortgage problem.
*  *  *  Ladies and Gentlemen, It’s a great pleasure to speak to you at this 3rd Annual Nordic AAA Seminar. Today’s seminar will examine the AAA fixed-income market, considering both the investor and the issuer perspective. It is clear that we as central bankers are closely watching these markets as they are of crucial importance.