European Financial Market Integration Research Articles

An archaeology of European financial market integration - Troels Krarup, The Knowledge Problems of European Financial Market Integration: Paradoxes of the Market, Routledge, 2023.

An archaeology of European financial market integration - Troels Krarup, The Knowledge Problems of European Financial Market Integration: Paradoxes of the Market, Routledge, 2023.

Randomization Tests for Equality in Dependence Structure

We develop a new statistical procedure to test whether the dependence structure is identical between two groups. Rather than relying on a single index such as Pearson’s correlation coefficient or Kendall’s τ, we consider the entire dependence structure by investigating the dependence functions (copulas). The critical values are obtained by a modified randomization procedure designed to exploit asymptotic group invariance conditions. Implementation of the test is intuitive and simple, and does not require any specification of a tuning parameter or weight function. At the same time, the test exhibits excellent finite sample performance, with the null rejection rates almost equal to the nominal level even when the sample size is extremely small. Two empirical applications concerning the dependence between income and consumption, and the Brexit effect on European financial market integration are provided.

One money, two markets? EMU at twenty and European financial market integration

ABSTRACTThis contribution combines neo-functionalism and historical institutionalism to understand the implications of differentiated integration in Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) and Banking Union (BU) for the single market in financial services in the European Union (EU). From the 1980s, the relaunch of the Single Market and monetary integration in the EU were presented by the supporters of EMU as mutually reinforcing, as in the logic of the Commission’s Report ‘One Market, One Money’. Initially, EMU appeared to reinforce financial integration, especially in the Euro Area banking sector, even though EMU was a case of differentiated integration in the EU. Subsequently, the incomplete EMU triggered the sovereign debt crisis, which undermined financial market integration and was addressed through the establishment of BU, which reinforced differentiated integration. Both EMU and BU have negative implications for the ‘singleness’ of the single market in financial services, potentially resulting in ‘One Money, Two Markets’.

Money and the ‘Level Playing Field’: The Epistemic Problem of European Financial Market Integration

ABSTRACT Financial market integration processes in the European Union (EU) are characterised by an epistemic problem of economic theory. This problem encompasses what ‘the market’ is, how it is to be ‘integrated’, and the nature and role of ‘money’ as infrastructure of the fully integrated market. The EU’s legal framework has imported this epistemic problem along with the competitive conception of the market as described in economic theory – as a ‘level playing field’ for private exchange, under free, fair and ideally unrestrained competition. It manifests itself in European financial market integration processes, as exemplified in the article, via two otherwise disconnected areas of European Central Bank (ECB) activity: (a) the provision of central bank credit for the purpose of financial transaction settlement in the Eurozone; and (b) the conduct of ordinary monetary policy in the Eurozone. While the problem can be stabilised through legal, technical and other means, it remains latent, and may manifest itself again in unexpected ways, as happened in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis. Thus, contrary to ideologies that are widely understood as more or less coherent systems of doctrines, epistemic problems are characterised by specific tensions, contradictions and conceptual uncertainties.

Between competition and centralization: the new infrastructures of European finance

Ongoing European financial market integration relies on the creation of harmonized and centralized market infrastructures: the little-known institutions and systems that settle financial transactions across borders. Since the constitutional conception of market integration within the EU entails creating ‘a level playing field’ for competition, a fundamental problem emerges of how to provide that centralization and harmonization without violating the core principles of an open market economy either through private monopolization or public privatization. The paper presents a socio-technological study of a recent major infrastructure initiative by the European Central Bank, called Target2 Securities (T2S). Embedding the analysis of the struggles and debates around the birth and development of T2S in an analysis of the structural problem of competition and centralization in European financial market integration, the paper suggests an alternative perspective to that of performativity currently dominating the research field.

Brexit and the battle for financial services

ABSTRACTThis paper analyses the policy developments concerning the Single Market in finance in the context of Brexit. Theoretically, we engage with two bodies of work that make contrasting predictions on European financial market integration and the development of European Union (EU) policies on financial regulation: one focused upon a neo-mercantilist ‘battle’ amongst member states and the other stressing the importance of transnational financial networks (or coalitions). Empirically, we find limited evidence of the formation of cross-national alliances in favour of the United Kingdom (UK) retaining broad access to the EU Single Market in financial services, the presence of which would have aligned with the expectations of analyses focused upon transnational networks. By contrast, the main financial centres in the EU27 and their national authorities competed to lure financial business away from the UK – what we explain in terms of a ‘battle’ amongst member states and their national financial centres.

The evolution of market power in European banking

This paper analyses the effect that European financial market integration has had on the evolution of the banks' market power disparities. The results show that market power disparity has narrowed among eurozone banks. The reduction is attributable to the convergence in the average levels of market power of the European banking sectors. In contrast, the disparities observed within each country have remained stable. As a result, the measures adopted to advance towards a single banking market should be complemented by measures at the national level designed to intensify competition among the banks within a given country.

Time-varying importance of country and industry factors in European corporate bonds

In this paper we study financial integration in Europe by looking at the time-varying relative importance of country versus industry factors in the European corporate bond market. Using a unique dataset that is representative for the universe of actively quoted corporate bonds, we find that although unconditionally the country factor dominates the industry factor, there is substantial time variation and no trend towards full integration. Breaks in the variation correspond with several important events in the European financial market integration, such as the introduction of the Euro and the sovereign debt crisis.

The Main Effects of MiFID on European Capital Markets and European Integration

This paper aims the research whether the application of European Directive MiFID, had any significant effects on the European Capital Markets and the progress of the European Integration. This new regulation specifies the tasks and responsibilities of the supervisory authorities of the Member State of origin and the host Member State, in order to enhance the certainty of effectiveness of cross border transactions supervision and to reduce the risk of imposing unnecessary legal reforms from the host Member State on investment firms which perform cross border transactions. The research work focuses on the existing regulation and the literature for MiFID and European Integration and on whether the set of its regulation reforms could aim (or not) in contributing to excess of the European Capital markets and Institutions as long as the financial integration of EU. The reasons for the different degrees of integration and liberalization, is essentially related to financial structures. Under this reasoning, we have examined the effects on European Financial Market Integration concerning banks, Stock Exchanges and financial intermediaries and we have concluded, among others, that the aligning of the national regulatory approaches to a common European regulatory system is quite necessary. We finally conclude that MiFID will contribute to reduce problems at level as the previous experience of the Investment Services Directive, where the European investments and economies of Member States were based mainly on the level of country and not of the sector.

Time-Varying Importance of Country and Industry Factors in European Corporate Bonds

In this paper we study financial integration in Europe by looking at the time-varying relative importance of country versus industry factors in the European corporate bond market. Using a unique dataset that is representative for the universe of actively quoted corporate bonds, we find that although unconditionally the country factor dominates the industry factor, there is substantial time variation and no trend towards full integration. Breaks in the variation correspond with several important events in the European financial market integration, such as the introduction of the Euro and the sovereign debt crisis.

How the European Commission deepened financial market integration. The battle over the liberalization of public banks in Germany

ABSTRACTIn this article, I argue that the European financial market integration cannot be understood without the European Commission's gradual enforcement of supranational competition law for financial services. The conflict over the liberalization of public banks in Germany demonstrates how the Directorate General for Competition (DG COMP) deepened financial market integration through legal proceedings without the participation of the Council of Ministers. How could DG COMP prevail over the fierce resistance of Germany even though member states never intended for European law to have enough leverage to alter core elements of national financial systems? The article focuses on DG COMP's capacities for strategic action. DG COMP was able to enforce European competition rules for financial services, skilfully combining its legal competences with political strategies. The case illustrates that the regulatory integration of financial services in the EU is much more driven by supranational institutions than assumed by the bulk of the literature.

Stock market linkages among new EMU members and the euro area

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to focus on the empirical dimension of financial integration among the five newest members of the European Monetary Union (Cyprus, Estonia, Malta, Slovakia and Slovenia) and the euro area. The main objective is to study the level and the speed of integration between the stock markets of those European Union (EU) member states and the rest of the euro area, assessing in this way the role that the EU enlargement, the drive towards European Monetary Union and the actual adoption of the euro play in the process of European financial market integration. Design/methodology/approach – This study will exclusively test the integration of the stock markets of EU member states that joined in 2004, when the EU expanded, but are already members of Economic and Monetary Union (EMU). Since there is limited evidence on the effects of EU and EMU enlargements or their announcements, it will be a useful addition to the examination of this issue. Given the small size of those emerging stock markets and the fact that they are part of a stable and well-regulated system, the degree to which they are integrated has implications for investors' portfolio allocation decisions, as they may offer diversification benefits without extreme risks. The case of integration will be examined using various econometric methodologies, two of which (beta- and sigma-convergence) have been given less formal attention and their application is rare, so as to detect both long- and short-run interdependencies and achieve robust results. Findings – The findings indicate an increasing degree of integration for Malta and Slovenia, while Estonia appears segmented. Cyprus and Slovakia exhibited a degree of integration after their accession into EU but this trend changes after they adopted the euro. Overall, the integration process accelerated after the accession in the EU but EMU does not seem to have the same positive impact on it. Originality/value – Compared with previous studies, the authors' apply the concept of beta- and sigma-convergence, a methodology that will help us identify the speed of integration. Moreover, the period under study includes the recent crisis: this allows us to see if the worsened economic environment has had effect on the level and speed of integration of the countries under study. In the end, it is worth noting that previous studies focused on either advanced markets or neighbouring countries or states with a common history. This alone can create a level of interdependence between the countries under study and bias the results. In this paper, the markets under study have almost nothing in common except their small size and the fact that they are members of the EMU.

European Financial Market Integration: A Closer Look at Government Bonds in Eurozone Countries

The European Union made a number of steps not least of them the introduction of a common currency to foster the integration of the European financial markets. A number of papers have tried to gauge the degree of integration for various financial markets looking at the convergence of interest rates. A common finding is that government bond markets are quite well integrated. In this paper stochastic Kernel density estimates are used to take a closer look at the dynamics that drive the process of interest rate convergence. The main finding is that countries with large initial deviations from the mean interest rate do indeed converge. Interestingly the candidates least suspected namely the countries initially with interest rates at the mean level show a pattern of slight divergence.

Setting the Pace? Private Financial Interests and European Financial Market Integration

The regulation and supervision of financial services in the EU has undergone significant change between 2000 and 2005, when the so-called Lamfalussy framework, the Basel 2 agreement and its transposition into the Capital Requirements Directive were agreed. This research examines the preferences of national financial interest groups in Germany and the UK (the independent variable) in shaping national input and, more precisely, the contributions given by the relevant public authorities to EU and international policy-making processes (the dependent variable). The impact, if any, on the final outputs (the relevant international and EU agreements) is also discussed. It is argued that the level of involvement of each interest group depends on the policy content, namely, whether the policy concerns a broad institutional issue or specific rules, while the degree of interest group influence in policy-making processes depends on domestic institutions, namely state structure, interest representation and political economy institutions.

Markets in Financial Instruments Directive - The Way Forward in European Securities Market Integration?

European financial market integration and investor protection are the main objectives of the Markets in Financial Instruments Directive. The public discussion on the effectiveness of MiFID is still controversial before its entry into force in November 2007. We contribute to this discussion by comparing MiFID against selected aspects of regulatory and financial market integration theory and provide empirical evidence on MiFID driving changes in securities market structure. Four new initiatives in trade reporting and transaction business are discussed with their likely impacts. We conclude that MiFID is generally in line with theoretical requirements and therefore suitable to achieve its objectives. On the empirical side, new initiatives will increase competition. The market for trade reporting services will change significantly whereas new initiatives in transaction services are not able to differentiate themselves successfully in existent competition.

Intégration des marchés financiers européens : Priorité à la concurrence et à la diversité

European financial market integration : priority for competition and diversity Shaping the European financial markets remains an important political task. The political discussion on this issue has recently gained momentum at national and European levels. Therefore, stability and sustainability to safeguard smooth market development is of the utmost importance. The German Savings Banks Association is in favour of a design of the European financial markets that clearly focuses on diversity, competition and an organic process of harmonised supervision. Pluralist financial market conditions ensure efficient solutions for customers in Europe. JEL classification : G15, G18, G21

Reordering the Marketplace: Competition Politics in European Finance*

AbstractOver the last 15 years, Europe has seen the liberalization of national financial markets as well as the integration of these markets and their governance through the introduction of the ‘Lamfalussy process’. This article argues that we can best understand these shifts as one integrated project of market‐building in Europe, guided by distributional struggles over the terms of mutual markets access. To comprehend the complex linkages between private and public actors across levels of governance, we have to look beyond macro‐theories of integration and financial liberalization upholding an analytical state‐market dichotomy and adopt an integrative approach to theory, instead. Using the example of securities markets, this article argues that ‘competition politics’ are key to understanding European financial market integration.

European Financial Market Integration and German Cross Border Portfolio Flows

The paper analyzes the effect of European financial integration, especially of the EMU, on gross portfolio flows between Germany and 47 countries from 1987 to 2002. A gravity model of asset trade a la Martin and Rey (2004) is estimated. The following results are found: (1) There is substantially more portfolio trade between Germany and countries also participating in stage one and three of the EMU. More specifically: Since 2001 cross border portfolio flows between Germany and EMU countries are significantly larger compared to flows between Germany and Denmark, the UK, and Sweden which are part of the EU-15 but not of the Euro area. (2) Developments intertwined with the formation of the EMU such as changes in exchange rate volatility, financial market development and increased real economic integration among EMU countries are not able to account for this effect. (3) The EMU effect on gross portfolio flows is larger for transacting countries with more developed banking and equity markets and for country pairs with more correlated business cycles.

European Financial Market Integration: The Case of Private Sector Bonds and Syndicate Loans

European Financial Market Integration: The Case of Private Sector Bonds and Syndicate Loans

European Financial Market Integration: Evidence on the Emergence of a Single Eurozone Retail Banking Market

This study provides new evidence on the emergence of a single Eurozone retail banking market. Given the heterogeneous nature of retail lending in the Eurozone, the study advocates to apply cointegration methodology to investigate integration in the presence of country-specific credit rates. The empirical results indicate only very limited evidence for an integrated retail banking market before January 1, 1999, but there is evidence for statistically significant structural breaks that have come along with the introduction of the single currency. For the EMU period, the results provide a first picture of an emerging uniform Eurozone banking market. This tendency is more pronounced for the corporate lending market, while consumer lending markets are still more fragmented. After investgating the interest pass-through of monetary policy on retail interest rates the study concludes that the single currency has the potential to complete the single market not so much in the sense of cross-border arbitrage, but by means of a smooth and uniform pass-through process in the presence of a single monetary policy.