Core Viewpoint - The risk rating system in the financial market is undergoing a trust crisis, as some institutions manipulate risk levels for sales purposes, leading to significant investor losses [2][3][5] Group 1: Issues with Risk Ratings - The self-evaluation and self-sale model of private equity and trust institutions essentially transfers risk pricing power to interested parties, raising questions about the need for change in the current system where risk rating entities also act as sellers [2][3] - The inconsistency in risk evaluation standards leads to a situation where different institutions apply varying criteria, making it difficult to standardize risk ratings across the asset management industry [2][3] - There is a call for increased supervision from multiple stakeholders in the risk rating process to ensure accountability and transparency [2][3] Group 2: Case Study of Risk Mismanagement - The "Yingxue Funiu No. 1" private equity fund, rated R2, faced a 70% loss, leading to a complete loss of investor capital, highlighting the discrepancies between rated risk and actual investment performance [3][4][5] - The fund's investment strategy included high-risk assets, which contradicted its R2 classification, raising concerns about the integrity of risk assessments [5][12] - Other R2-rated financial products have also faced similar issues, with investors reporting sudden cessation of payments without clear explanations from the issuing institutions [6][7] Group 3: Market Dynamics and Sales Pressure - The demand for low-risk financial products has surged, prompting institutions to lower risk ratings to enhance sales, creating a conflict of interest [9][10] - Institutions often self-assess risk ratings, leading to potential manipulation where products are rated lower than their actual risk to attract more investors [9][10][11] - The lack of clear differentiation in risk ratings among similar products can lead to a scenario where higher-risk products are misrepresented as lower-risk, undermining investor trust [14][15] Group 4: Recommendations for Improvement - There is a consensus that a more standardized and scientific approach to risk rating is necessary, incorporating quantitative and qualitative assessments to better reflect the true risk of financial products [16][17] - Regulatory bodies are taking steps to enforce better practices in risk rating, including requiring private equity firms to establish clear risk assessment standards [18] - Enhanced disclosure requirements for R2-rated products, such as quarterly reporting of top holdings and their risk profiles, are suggested to protect investor interests [17][18]