Spillover effects of banking systemic risk on firms in China: A financial cycle analysis

Abstract

This paper investigates the spillover effects of banking sector risk on firms in China and explores the risk transmission channels from the perspective of financial cycle. We use the banking risk-taking and systemic risk as the proxies of financial booms and busts. Our study yields four main findings. First, the banking risk-taking reduces firm risk in financial booms. Higher financing costs and constraints, larger firm size and financing scale, and state ownership inhibit the spillover effects. Second, the banking systemic risk increases firm risk during financial busts. Higher financing costs and constraints, larger firm size and financing scale, and state ownership facilitate the spillover effects. Third, the magnitudes of banking risk spillovers vary across industries, and this effect is more pronounced in the manufacturing industry. Fourth, bank risk-taking affects firm risk differently through various channels in different leading periods. When leading 1 to 3quarters, banking risk-taking reduces firm risk, and channel variables inhibit the spillover effects. However, when leading 4 to 8 quarters, the rising bank risk-taking eventually increases firm risk, and channel variables amplify its spillover effects. Our study offers important policy implications for risk assessment and mitigation in the Chinese loan market.