Credit ratings do not always provide an accurate or complete picture of the risks of a financial product, according to Vivian van Breemen, who will be obtaining her doctorate at Nyenrode Business Universiteit today. Van Breemen’s research shows that an inaccurate assessment of credit risks in the capital market poses a significant threat to international financial stability.

The value of the ratings is greatly overestimated, especially when it comes to financial products that are relatively complex to understand.