This page focuses on credit quality and capital ratios. The left-hand chart looks at mortgage lending standards in the US. Prior to the global financial crisis, subprime (and therefore higher risk) borrowing was a much greater proportion of the total market compared to today. The right-hand chart shows that since the global financial crisis, core tier 1 capital ratios have increased across developed market economies. As a result, banks in these economies have a much larger capital buffer, bolstering their ability to withstand financial distress.