Balance Sheet Vulnerabilities Research Articles

Macro and micro of external finance premium and monetary policy transmission

We establish basic facts about the external finance premium. Tens of millions of individual loan contracts extended to euro area firms allow studying the determinants of the external finance premium at the country, bank, firm, and contract levels of disaggregation. At the country level, the variance in the premium is closely linked to sovereign spreads, which are important in understanding financial amplification mechanisms. However, country level differences only explain half of the total variance. The rest is predominantly attributed to variances at the bank and firm levels, which are influenced by the respective balance sheet characteristics. Studying the response of the external finance premium to monetary policy, we find that balance sheet vulnerabilities of banks and firms strengthen the transmission of policy measures to financing conditions. Moreover, our findings reveal an asymmetrical effect contingent upon the sign and type of the policies. Specifically, policy rate hikes and quantitative easing measures exert a more pronounced impact on lending spreads, further magnified through their repercussions on the external finance premium.

Foreign Currency Deposits and International Liquidity Shortages in Pakistan

This Working Paper should not be reported as representing the views of the IMF. The views expressed in this Working Paper are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent those of the IMF or IMF policy. Working Papers describe research in progress by the author(s) and are published to elicit comments and to further debate. This paper studies the implications of foreign currency deposits (FCDs) for international liquidity shortages in Pakistan. The analysis focuses on how the large volume of FCDs and the specific institutional characteristics of those deposits have made the Pakistan economy highly vulnerable to exogenous shocks. The analysis shows that FCDs created another channel for government borrowing, and fiscal sustainability in a “closed” system may be very different from sustainability in a more “open” system. There is a need to think of these issues in terms of total balance sheet vulnerability, and we recommend measures that would make domestic-currency-denominated assets attractive to investors. JEL Classification Numbers: E52; F41 Keywords: Capital Account Liberalization, Financial Development, Dollarization

A cross-country database of fiscal space

This paper presents a comprehensive cross-country database of fiscal space, broadly defined as the availability of budgetary resources for a government to service its financial obligations. The database covers up to 202 countries over the period 1990–2020, and includes 30 indicators of fiscal space grouped into four categories: debt sustainability, balance sheet vulnerability, external and private sector debt-related risks as potential causes of contingent liabilities, and market access. Using the database, the paper, first, documents the weakening of fiscal space in the 1990s, the broad-based improvement over the first decade of the 2000s, and the synchronized deterioration over the subsequent decade heading into the global recession of 2020. Second, it analyzes the behavior of fiscal space during a wide range of adverse events, including banking crises, natural disasters, and wars. The results show that some of these events coincide with a lasting deterioration in fiscal space whereas others tend to have at most short-lived consequences for fiscal space.

Modeling the Connection between Bank Systemic Risk and Balance-Sheet Liquidity Proxies through Random Forest Regressions

Balance-sheet indicators may reflect, to a great extent, bank fragility. This inherent relationship is the object of theoretical models testing for balance-sheet vulnerabilities. In this sense, we aim to analyze whether systemic risk for a sample of US banks can be explained by a series of balance-sheet variables, considered as proxies for bank liquidity for the 2004:1–2019:1 period. We first compute Marginal Expected Shortfall values for the entities in our sample and then imbed them into a Random Forest regression setup. Although we discover that feature importance is rather bank-specific, we notice that cash and available-for-sale securities are the most relevant factors in explaining the dynamics of systemic risk. Our findings emphasize the need for heightened prudential regulation of bank liquidity, particularly in what concerns cash and immediate liquidity instrument weights. Moreover, systemic risk could be consistently tamed by consolidating bank emergency liquidity provision schemes.

One Shock, Many Policy Responses

Policymakers have relied on a wide range of policy tools to cope with capital flow shocks. And yet, the effects and interaction of these policies remain under debate, as does the motivation for using them. In this paper, quantile local projections are used to estimate the entire distribution of future policy responses to portfolio flow shocks for 20 emerging markets and understand the variety of policy choices across the sample. To assuage endogeneity concerns, estimates rely on the fact that global capital flows are exogenous from the viewpoint of any one of these countries. The paper finds that: (i) policy responses to capital flow shocks are heterogeneous across countries, fat-tailed—“extreme” responses tend to be more elastic than “typical” responses—and asymmetric—“extreme” responses tend to be more elastic with respect to outflows than to inflows; (ii) country characteristics are linked to policy choices—with cross-country differences in forex intervention relating to the size of balance sheet vulnerabilities and the depth of the forex market; (iii) the use of targeted macroprudential policy and capital flows management measures can help “free the hands” of monetary policy by allowing it to focus more squarely on domestic cyclical developments.

Restrictive policy impacts in emerging economies

The policy responses to capital flows in emerging markets are multiple. However, capital inflow controls, if applied sufficiently broadly, can buttress all other policies by limiting the volume of capital inflows and address balance sheet vulnerabilities. The study analyzes the effects of capital controls (CC) domestically and internationally. Applied to 24 emerging economies (EEs) from 2009 to 2016, a panel vector autoregression model using a quarter dataset provides further evidence on these effects. Domestically, the results show that following the 2008 financial crisis, strengthening CC may support policymakers’ actions to improve their macroeconomic policies. Unpredictably, there is no relationship founded between CC and international reserves accumulation. However, a combination of controls and reserves are needed to manage well the volatile capital flows. Internationally, restrictions on capital flows may cause spillovers between countries introducing controls and neighboring countries. These multilateral effects raise the challenge of optimal policy coordination.

Balance Sheet Effects in Colombian Non-Financial Firms

After building up foreign currency-denominated (FC) liabilities over several years, the balance sheets of Colombian firms might be particularly vulnerable to a shift in external conditions. This paper undertakes four exercises in order to get a better understanding of these vulnerabilities. First, probit/logit estimations are used to identify the firm-level and macroeconomic determinants of FC borrowing by non-financial corporations. Second, the implications of the balance sheet vulnerability for real activity are investigated. Evidence is found of an FC balance sheet effect that transmits exchange rate fluctuations to firm-level investment, and show that that this effect is asymmetric, much greater for depreciations than for appreciations. Third, using logit/probit estimations, it is shown that not all firms use forward exchange derivatives solely to hedge their FC liabilities. This might be a consequence of exchange rate intervention by the monetary authority, protecting against extreme exchange rate misalignments. Finally, results are reported of a survey-based qualitative analysis on the hedging policies and activities of 12 large non-financial firms.

A Cross-Country Database of Fiscal Space

This paper presents a comprehensive cross-country database of fiscal space, broadly defined as the availability of budgetary resources for a government to service its financial obligations. The database covers up to 200 countries over the period 1990-2016, and includes 28 indicators of fiscal space grouped into four categories: debt sustainability, balance sheet vulnerability, external and private sector debt related risks as potential causes of contingent liabilities, and market access. We illustrate potential applications of the database by analyzing developments in fiscal space across three time frames: over the past quarter century; during financial crises; and during oil price plunges. The main results are as follows. First, fiscal space had improved in many countries before the global financial crisis. In advanced economies, following severe deteriorations during the crisis, many indicators of fiscal space have virtually returned to levels in the mid-2000s. In contrast, fiscal space has shrunk in many emerging market and developing economies since the crisis. Second, financial crises tend to coincide with deterioration in multiple indicators of fiscal space, but they are often followed by reduced reliance on short-term borrowing. Finally, fiscal space narrows in energy-exporting emerging market and developing economies during oil price plunges but later expands, often because of procyclical fiscal tightening and, in some episodes, a recovery in oil prices.

Gone with the Headwinds: Global Productivity

Productivity growth—the key driver of living standards—fell sharply following the global financial crisis and has remained sluggish since, adding to a slowdown already in train before. Building on new research, this note finds that the productivity slowdown reflects both crisis legacies and structural headwinds. In advanced economies, the global financial crisis has led to “productivity hysteresis”—persistent productivity losses from a seemingly temporary shock. Behind this are balance sheet vulnerabilities, protracted weak demand and elevated uncertainty, which jointly triggered an adverse feedback loop of weak investment, weak productivity and bleak income prospects. Structural headwinds—already blowing before the crisis—include a waning ICT boom and slowing technology diffusion, partly reflecting an aging workforce, slowing global trade and weaker human capital accumulation. Reviving productivity growth requires addressing remaining crisis legacies in the short run while pressing ahead with structural reforms to tackle longer-term headwinds.

Shock Transmission Through International Banks Evidence from France

As part of the International Banking Research Network, the Banque de France contribution to the research project on liquidity risk transmission concentrates on the “outward” transmission of shocks affecting French banking groups. Using a rich dataset on their international positions, we analyze which balance sheet vulnerabilities contribute to the international transmission of aggregate liquidity risk shocks. The geographical breakdown of lending allows us to control for demand effects and to concentrate on the external adjustments to shocks affecting the supply of loans. We find that a higher capital ratio is associated with higher growth of lending abroad when aggregate liquidity conditions deteriorate. We find that our results are mainly driven by cross-border lending to the financial sector whereas local lending by foreign affiliates is hardly affected by the balance sheet shocks that the overall banking group is experiencing. We also investigate to what extent the identified effects differ depending on whether banks accessed public liquidity during the crisis and find that our baseline results are sensitive to the inclusion of central bank liquidity assistance.

Conventional and Insidious Macroeconomic Balance-Sheet Crises

This paper describes the anatomy of two types of balance-sheet macroeconomic crises. Conventional balance-sheet crises are triggered by external imbalances and balance sheet vulnerabilities. They typically occur after capital inflows have led to a substantial build up of foreign currency exposure. Insidious crises are triggered by internal imbalances and balance sheet vulnerabilities. They occur in high-growth economies when an initially equilibrating shift in relative prices and resources and credit in favor of the nontraded sector overshoots equilibrium. The paper argues that policymakers are now better able to forestall conventional crises, but they are much less capable of early detection and avoidance of insidious crises.

Conventional and Insidious Macroeconomic Balance-Sheet Crises

This paper describes the anatomy of two types of balance-sheet macroeconomic crises. Conventional balance-sheet crises are triggered by external imbalances and balance sheet vulnerabilities. They typically occur after capital inflows have led to a substantial build up of foreign currency exposure. Insidious crises are triggered by internal imbalances and balance sheet vulnerabilities. They occur in high-growth economies when an initially equilibrating shift in relative prices and resources and credit in favor of the nontraded sector overshoots equilibrium. The paper argues that policymakers are now better able to forestall conventional crises, but they are much less capable of early detection and avoidance of insidious crises.

Balance Sheet Vulnerability and Macroeconomic Management in Indonesia

The economic and financial crises hitting Indonesia in 1997 have triggered a significant economic downturn. A critical issue addressed is how common shocks during crisis period have brought about macroeconomic outcome. The paper briefly discusses the problems, response and lessons learnt in the country’s effort to restore the economy to its long-term potential growth path. By examining balance sheet conditions across sectors in the economy, it is shown that even though some progress has been achieved, overall balance sheet conditions are still vulnerable to further shocks that may hit the economy, so that efforts to restore economic growth and stability face substantial challenges. Considering these constraints, Indonesian macroeconomic policy makers focus their efforts on strengthening financial markets, among others, by developing bond markets and implementing banking architecture. However, various constraints will remain unless the government speeds up the necessary reforms, mostly institutional in nature.

Balance Sheet Vulnerabilities of Mauritius During a Decade of Shocks

After reviewing the economic reform strategy of Mauritius for the past 10 years in the face of several external shocks, we apply a balance sheet analysis (BSA) focusing on currency, maturity, and intersectoral mismatches. In reviewing developments over this decade, we find that the currency and maturity mismatches have fallen across various sectors, and the intersectoral risks to each analyzed sector’s balance sheet appear controllable. The government has implemented reforms in recent years that have contributed to general improvement in the balance sheet of the Mauritian economy and its subsectors. We conclude that from a BSA perspective, the macroeconomic vulnerabilities of Mauritius seem manageable, though vulnerabilities remain, and data gaps mean that more work will be needed to support these findings.

Balance Sheet Vulnerabilities of Mauritius During a Decade of Shocks

After reviewing the economic reform strategy of Mauritius for the past 10 years in the face of several external shocks, we apply a balance sheet analysis (BSA) focusing on currency, maturity, and intersectoral mismatches. In reviewing developments over this decade, we find that the currency and maturity mismatches have fallen across various sectors, and the intersectoral risks to each analyzed sector’s balance sheet appear controllable. The government has implemented reforms in recent years that have contributed to general improvement in the balance sheet of the Mauritian economy and its subsectors. We conclude that from a BSA perspective, the macroeconomic vulnerabilities of Mauritius seem manageable, though vulnerabilities remain, and data gaps mean that more work will be needed to support these findings.

Currency Crises, Monetary Policy and Balance Sheet Vulnerabilities

This paper studies how the exposure of a country’s corporate sector to interest rate and exchange rate changes affects the probability of a currency crisis. To analyze this question, we present a model that defines currency crises as situations in which the costs of maintaining a fixed exchange rate exceed the costs of abandonment. The results show that a higher exposure to interest rate changes increases the probability of crisis through an increased need for output loss compensation and an increased efficacy of monetary policy in stimulating output. A higher exposure to exchange rate changes also increases the need for output loss compensation. However, it lowers the efficacy of monetary policy in stimulating output through the adverse balance sheet effects of exchange rate depreciation. As a result, its effect on the probability of crisis is ambiguous.

Republic of Croatia: 2009 Article IV Consultation: Staff Report; Public Information Notice on the Executive Board Discussion; and Statement by the Executive Director for the Republic of Croatia

Croatia’s annual GDP growth accelerated to 4–5 percent, per capita incomes advanced further toward the EU average, and unemployment declined to the lowest levels since Croatia’s independence. The staff report for Croatia’s 2009 Article IV Consultation is also described. Rapid credit growth led to a significant debt build-up and prevalent foreign currency borrowing aggravated balance sheet vulnerabilities, and booming domestic demand led to surging trade deficits, moderated only partially by strong tourism earnings.

Do high interest rates defend currencies during speculative attacks? New evidence

Kraay [Kraay, A., 2003. Do high interest rates defend currencies during speculative attacks? Journal of International Economics 59, 297-321.] documents the lack of any systematic association between monetary policy and the outcome of a speculative attack. This paper revisits Kraay's work and modifies it by introducing an improved measure of monetary policy and an additional country-specific fundamental, short-term corporate debt, to capture balance sheet vulnerabilities emphasized by the recent currency crises literature. The results show that for low levels of short-term corporate debt, raising interest rates lowers the probability of a successful attack. This effect decreases and eventually reverses for higher levels of debt. These findings contrast earlier empirical evidence and imply a fundamental reconsideration of the role of monetary policy during currency crises.

Using the Balance Sheet Approach in Surveillance: Framework, Data Sources, and Data Availability

Recent improvements in statistical methodologies and data availability are facilitating detailed, high-frequency, timely macroeconomic balance sheet analysis. This paper provides practical instruction on how to design the framework to analyze vulnerabilities in a country as well as an overview of data sources that can be employed for this analysis. The paper also discusses how these new datasets are enhancing surveillance activities related to balance sheet vulnerabilities.

Using the Balance Sheet Approach in Surveillance: Framework, Data Sources, and Data Availability

Recent improvements in statistical methodologies and data availability are facilitating detailed, high-frequency, timely macroeconomic balance sheet analysis. This paper provides practical instruction on how to design the framework to analyze vulnerabilities in a country as well as an overview of data sources that can be employed for this analysis. The paper also discusses how these new datasets are enhancing surveillance activities related to balance sheet vulnerabilities.