This created an incentive for investors to be the first to get out whenever there was any uncertainty over the underlying value of the assets in the fund. By being first in line, they could exit while the fund could still repay at par, leaving others to bear any losses. The longer the investor waited, the greater the risk that the fund would be forced into the fire sale of assets to meet redemptions and end up “breaking the buck”. As the crisis unfolded, the Federal Reserve, the U.S. Treasury and others took a series of actions to contain the spiral of funding runs and asset fire sales. First, the traditional lender of last resort function was strengthened through the introduction of the Term Auction Facility (TAF) and foreign exchange swaps with foreign central banks. Then, as the crisis intensified, lender of last resort liquidity provision was extended to directly backstop key wholesale funding markets and opened to certain nonbank firms. The Federal Reserve created a direct backstop to the tri-party repo system through the Primary Dealer Credit Facility (PDCF). When the Reserve Fund broke the buck after the failure of Lehman Brothers, precipitating a run on money market mutual funds, the Treasury guaranteed money market fund assets and the Fed introduced the Asset-Backed Commercial Paper Money Market Fund Liquidation Facility (AMLF). The Fed also backstopped the commercial paper market (formerly funded in large part by money market mutual funds) by introducing the Commercial Paper Funding Facility (CPFF).

2  Walker, David (July 2009), "A Review of Corporate Governance in UK Banks and Other Financial Industry Entities", Her Majesty's Treasury; G20 Working Group 1 (March 2009), "Enhancing Sound Regulation and Strengthening Transparency", G20; OECD Steering Group on Corporate Governance (May 2009), "Corporate Governance and the Financial Crisis - Key Findings and Main Messages", OECD. 2  BIS Review 147/2009  complacent. We must not let up in our efforts to improve our regulations and codes, as well as in the actual practices and governance culture. As part of this effort, I am pleased to announce that we will be establishing a Corporate Governance Council, comprising members from the private and public sectors. The objective of the Council will be to promote a high standard of corporate governance in companies listed in Singapore so as to maintain and enhance investors' confidence. In turn, this will enhance Singapore's reputation as a leading and trusted financial centre, and benefit all players involved. In conceptualising the Corporate Governance Council, the CCDG serves as a useful reference. Unlike the CCDG, which also had responsibility for promulgating accounting standards and improving disclosure practices, the Corporate Governance Council's focus will be squarely on corporate governance matters. Among the Council's roles will be the identification of opportunities for continuing professional development of directors and the development of practical guidance for Board committees. By taking into account perspectives of relevant stakeholders, the Council can develop initiatives that are robust and balanced, and achieve broad support and alignment of all parties.