How the credit crisis affects you

When banks don't lend to each other and the credit system gets backed up, consumers have a hard time getting a loan to buy a home or car, small businesses can't expand and employees are at risk of losing their jobs. CNN's Ali Velshi explains why.

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Major investors
Major investors
There are major investors, and we mean really big ones: countries, sovereign wealth funds, pension funds, hedge funds and, of course, banks. When credit is flowing smoothly, they send money between each other. They also loan money to corporations.
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Last updated September 30 2008: 4:33 PM ET
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