Recent Developments and Risks in the Euro Area Banking Sector
Reint E. Gropp, Jukka M. Vesala
ECB Monthly Bulletin,
2002
Abstract
This article provides an overview of euro area banks’ exposure to risk and examines the effects of the cyclical downturn in 2001. It describes the extent to which euro area banks’ risk profile has changed as a result of recent structural developments, such as an increase in investment banking, mergers, securitisation and more sophisticated risk management techniques. The article stresses that the environment in which banks operated in 2001 was fairly complex due to the relatively weak economic performance of all major economies as well as the events of 11 September in the United States. It evaluates the effects of these adverse circumstances on banks’ stability and overall performance. The article provides bank balance sheet information as well as financial market prices, arguing that the latter may be useful when assessing the soundness of the banking sector in a forward-looking manner. It concludes with a review of the overall stability of euro area banks, pointing to robustness in the face of the adverse developments in 2001 and the somewhat improved forward-looking indicators of banks’ financial strength in early 2002.
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Bank-Firm Relationships and International Banking Markets
Hans Degryse, Steven Ongena
International Journal of the Economics of Business,
Nr. 3,
2002
Abstract
This paper reviews how long-term relationships between firms and banks shape the structure and integration of banking markets worldwide. Bank relationships arise to span informational asymmetries that are endemic in financial markets. Firm-bank relationships not only entail specific benefits and costs for both the engaged firms and banks, but also directly affect the structure of banking markets. In particular, the sunk cost of screening and monitoring activities and the 'informational capital' collected by the incumbent banks may act as a barrier to entry. The intensity of the existing firm-bank relationships will determine the height of this barrier and shape the structure of international banking markets. For example, in Scandinavia where firms maintain few and strong relationships, foreign banks may only be able to enter successfully through mergers and acquisitions. On the other hand, Southern European firms maintain many bank relationships. Therefore, banks may consider entering Southern European banking markets through direct investment.
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Korean Unification and Banking System - An Analysis in View of German Experiences and Korean Differences
Ralf Müller
IWH Discussion Papers,
Nr. 139,
2001
Abstract
One of the reforms that have to be launched in a future unification process in Korea, which seems possible after the political negotiations last year, is the transformation of the North Korean banking system. The question arises whether Korea could profit from the German experience where banking transformation was one of the rather few success stories in unification. In 1990 the East German banking transformation was achieved relatively fast and uncomplicated due to considerable direct investments of the West German banks compounded with state guarantees for bad loans resulting from the credit business with existing GDR-corporations. Unfortunately, South Korea currently lacks some major prerequesites that contributed to the German banking unification, among them – and probably the most important one – is the lack of a sound and efficient banking
system that could become active in the North. Consequently, depending on the circumstances of a future Korean unification either a more gradual process is recommended or, if inner-Korean migration requires a more dynamic transition, considerable investment by foreign banks and assistance from international organisations is recommended.
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Institutional Limitations of Equity Markets in Transformation Economies
Thomas Linne
Forschungsreihe,
Nr. 8,
1997
Abstract
Mittlerweile verfügen alle mittel- und osteuropäischen Länder über institutionelle Märkte für den Handel mit Wertpapieren. Die Erfahrungen in diesen Ländern haben gezeigt, daß sich Aktienmärkte relativ schnell organisieren lassen - ohne bereits ein ausgefeiltes institutionelles Regelwerk implementiert zu haben. Dabei weisen die Aktienmärkte einige Hemmnisse auf, die funktionierenden Kapitalmärkten und einer erfolgreichen realwirtschaftlichen Transformation weiterhin im Wege stehen. Dazu gehören insbesondere der Mangel an Liquidität, die Interessenverflechtung zwischen Banken und Investmentfonds sowie die unzureichende Unternehmenskontrolle durch die Aktienmärkte. Die Aktienmärkte in Mittel- und Osteuropa sind als Märkte für Beteiligungsfinanzierung für die Unternehmen noch keine echte Alternative zur Fremdfinanzierung durch die Banken. Die Beschränkungen der Aktienmärkte können als eine Form der Marktsegmentierung interpretiert werden. Dies schafft Anreize für Unternehmen, den negativen Folgeerscheinungen der institutionellen Hemmnisse durch Inanspruchnahme anderer Kapitalmärkte, beispielsweise durch eine Börsennotierung an einem anderen Börsenplatz, auszuweichen. Die Liberalisierung der mittel- und osteuropäischen Kapitalmärkte mit einem verbesserten Zugang für ausländische Investoren ist deshalb begrüßenswert. Diese Maßnahmen können dazu beitragen, die institutionellen Beschränkungen der Aktienmärkte zu mindern und ihre Finanzierungsfunktion zu verbessern.
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