Country Governance, Market Concentration and Financial Market Dynamics for Banks Stability in Pakistan

Abstract

Considering the country governance, market concentration and financial market dynamics are key explanatory indicators, this study has examined the stability trends in commercial banks of Pakistan. Overall sample of 28 banks is considered, adding both conventional and Islamic banks into consideration for the panel regression models like fixed effect and random effect. Findings for overall sample indicates that both stability measures in the form of z-score ROA and ROE are significantly and negatively affected by poor control over corruption, regulatory quality, market concentration, financial market development and increasing non-performing loans. For conventional banking, key determinants of financial stability are control over corruption, political instability, market structure and credit risk. For Islamic banking firms, corruption and government effectiveness, capital adequacy ratio, market structure and financial market development are significant determinants, affecting Z measures of stability. However, through lending interest rate, we do not find any significant relationship with both stability measures. Study findings are very useful for country officials, risk officers, and other stakeholders in financial markets who want to explore the relationship between country governance and financial market dynamics in the economy of Pakistan. In addition, study has experienced various limitations like non-consideration of bank-based and macroeconomic risk factors, international trends in banking and their influence on domestic banks of Pakistan, which could be reconsidered in coming research.