Financial Intermediation Process Research Articles

Market Integration, Country Institutions and IPO Underpricing

We extend the IPO literature analysing the role of financial market integration in the development of IPO markets and the pricing of newly listed stocks. Using a hierarchical linear model, we show that differences in underpricing between markets with high and low financial integration levels are economically significant and may explain the choice of location in the listing process. Firstly, market integration negatively affects the level of IPO underpricing by increasing the importance and efficiency of the financial intermediation process via tradable securities. Secondly, the presence of a deeper market integration has a moderation effect, which weakens the explanatory power of country institutions in the cross-country variation of IPO underpricing. Finally, we suggest a hierarchical structure be assumed for the modelling of cross-country IPO studies with heterogeneous country characteristics. Our results are robust to alternative measures of financial integration and several model specifications.

Fair Value Accounting Practices and Efficiency of Banks: A Theoretical Perspective

This conceptual paper discusses the impact of fair value accounting practices on performance of commercial banks in relation to the established banking theories i.e. Credit creation, fractional reserve and financial intermediation theory. These theories are discussed in view of historical cost accounting principles and fair valued accounting principles considering the performance in terms of efficiency during different stages of economic conditions. The analysis shows that fair value accounting practices in banks create reserves in economic booms improving efficiency and deteriorate created reserves in economic downturns causing financial crises. Enhanced financial performance in terms of unrealized gains improves the overall efficiency of banks in view of the intermediation approach of the financial intermediation theory. Therefore, it can be interpreted that external factors such as accounting, infrastructure, and technology can influence efficiency of the financial intermediation process. This is the first study to discuss the implications of fair value accounting on banking theory in view of performance of banks and stability of financial system.

Intra-Market Linkages in the Financial Sector and Their Effects on Financial Inclusion

The financial stability objective of any financial system authority is to maintain confidence, and promote the safety and soundness of the domestic financial system. Financial stability has been defined as the resilience of the financial system in the face of adverse shocks to enable the continued smooth functioning of the financial intermediation process. The Kenyan Financial service providers are diverse and they include 42 commercial banks, 49 insurance companies, 12 deposits taking microfinance banks, and 199 registered savings and credit cooperatives (SACCOs). This paper examined financial intra-market linkages (dynamic relationship and volatility spillovers) effects between the Commercial banks and other financial sector segments (Insurance and Capital Markets) in Kenya and the impact of this transmission on financial inclusion. The study evaluated the effect of intra-market linkages on financial inclusion using Bayesian Vector Autoregressive (BVAR) using monthly data from the Kenyan market during the period January 2004 - December 2016. Impulse-response analysis and forecast error variance decomposition were used to investigate these intra-market linkages and their causal effect to financial inclusion. Results show that there are significant market interactions and interlinkages with significant shocks transmission moving from banks to other markets. Interest rates shock transmission affected all markets. This means that monetary policy transmission as expected trickles down to the entire financial sector. The study also found out that, positive shocks from credit impacts positively on lending rate and the capital markets performance implying banking mechanism to reward increased loan uptake at cheaper prices and hence creating cash-flow that spills over to more investment on the Nairobi Securities Exchange. The study recommends that policy makers design policies that help minimize the adverse impact of volatility/shocks but create opportunities for growth on each market to foster price stability and increase investments through financial inclusion.

Interest banking spreads in Oman and Arab GCC

PurposeAverage bank net interest margins vary widely across Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, net interest margins of Omani banks are significantly higher. The resultant low level of financial intermediation implies reduced investment and economic growth. Understanding the reason for these high and persistent spreads is important to develop a policy for improving effectiveness of the banking system. The paper aims to discuss these issues.Design/methodology/approachNet interest margins of Arab GCC banks during the period 1999-2012 are examined using the balanced panel regression model with bank specific, financial/market structure specific and macroeconomic factors as determinants. The method used for estimation used is the estimated generalized least squares (EGLS) method with both fixed effects and random effects.FindingsBank-specific variables, which explain net interest margins in GCC, are bank capitalization ratios, loan ratios and overhead expenses. Spread of banking sector (as measured by ratio of total bank credit to GDP) is positive and highly significant, implying that along with the expansion of the banking sector in GCC economies, interest margins of banks also improved. Omani banks were able to increase interest margins by aggressively marketing high yield personal and credit card loans, and, zero interest paying deposit products. The study also finds a negative relationship between concentration and net interest margin, and attempts to explain this finding which is at variance with other country studies using the price leadership model of oligopoly.Research limitations/implicationsThe standard, accepted econometric model of net interest margins which has been used in earlier studies is unable to explain the high net interest margins of banks in Oman although it is able to explain interest margins in other GCC countries. There is a need to develop non econometric models. More work is needed on the implications of NIM spreads for how they affect an economy.Practical implicationsThe study shows that as the banking sector spreads in the economy, individual banks have more opportunities to market their products while at the same time maintaining interest margins. Bank managements should note this point and look for opportunities to expand.Originality/valueThere is no evidence of any empirical studies which focused on net interest margins in the GCC countries. This study attempts to fill in this gap with a view to nudge policy makers to look at the issue of high interest margins and its detrimental impact on economic growth and development in the Gulf region. The paper is useful for policy makers to understand and rectify the problem of excessive interest spreads which is hurting the financial intermediation process.

Interest Rate Spread on Bank Profitability: The Case of Ghanaian Banks

The banking sector in Ghana plays a dominant role in the financial sector, particularly with respect to mobilization of savings and the provision of credit. An analysis of bank interest rate spreads is therefore central to the understanding of the financial intermediation process and the macroeconomic environment in which banks operate. This paper is motivated by the fact that although Ghana’s financial sector was liberalized in the early 1990s to allow for market determination of interest rates, concerns about high interest rate spreads have persisted and attracted a lot of debate in both public and policy forums. The purpose of the study is to empirically investigate the interest rate spread on banks profitability in Ghana using average annual observation data from1992–2015 to include 28 commercial banks. Ordinary least square was used to estimate the regression coefficients. The empirical results show that bank-specific factors play a significant role in the determination of interest rate spreads in the Ghana’s banking sector. All the bank specific variables were found to be significant except Total Assets (TA). Among the macroeconomic variables, inflation was found to be significant whereas GDP growth rate was insignificant. The role of the global financial institutions is changing and so are the banks operating in Ghana. The banking sector should explore new paths that will enable them to take advantage of the government’s policy of making the “private sector the engine of growth” to market their products.

The Effects of Bank Distress on The Nigerian Economy

<p><em>Bank distress poses threats to financial intermediation process with serious detrimental effect on the economy. Despite all attempts made by the supervisory authorities, the problem appears to defy already established approach and the menace still continues to resurface. Hence, the need to investigate the effects of bank distress on the Nigerian economy. The cointegration and error correction mechanism were used to test the data which covers a period of thirty-one (31) years from 1982 to 2012. The research findings revealed that the ratio of non-performing loans to total loans, and total loans and advances have significant negative effect on economic growth with p-values of 0.0240 and 0.0445 respectively. Also, total bank deposit and cash reserve ratio have significant positive effect on economic growth with p-values of 0.0020 and 0.0374 respectively. The implication of this result is that the Nigerian economy is significantly affected by bank distress. The paper suggests that careful evaluation of loan proposals should always be carried out by banks to determine the viability of the projects and the repayment of the principal sum and its interest ensured to prevent weak asset quality. </em></p>

The Role of Non-bank Financial Institutions on Financial Intermediation Process in Nigeria (1992-2014)

The Role of Non-bank Financial Institutions on Financial Intermediation Process in Nigeria (1992-2014)

Eficiência de escala e mudança tecnológica em cooperativas de crédito e bancos múltiplos utilizando o COSIF

The modernization of the financial intermediation process and adapting to new technologies, brought adjustments to operational processes, providing the reduction of information borrowing costs, allowing generate greater customer satisfaction, due to increased competitiveness in addition to making gains with long efficiency period. In this context, this research aims to analyze the evolution in scale and technological efficiency of credit and multiple cooperative banks from 2009 to 2013. We used the method of Data Envelopment Analysis - DEA, which allows to calculate the change in efficiency of institutions through the Malmquist Index. The results indicated that institutions that employ larger volumes of assets in the composition of its resources presented evolution in scale and technological efficiency, influencing the change in total factor productivity. It should be noticed that cooperatives had, in some years, advances in technology and scale efficiency higher than banks. However, this result can be explained by the fact that the average efficiency of credit unions have been lower than that of banks in the analyzed sample, indicating that there is greater need to improve internal processes by cooperatives, compared to multiple banks surveyed.

The Future of Banking System and Economic Development in Nigeria

This study examined the future of banking system and economic development in Nigeria in the context of the demand following hypothesis. Although, the Nigerian economy has witnessed steady growth, the productive base of the economy is narrow. This therefore requires that banks must engage in an effective financial intermediation process to aid the transformation of the real sector as an engine of growth. However, while the deposits mobilized and assets base of the commercial banks has increased in leap and bounds, the real sector access to credit is on the decline. Rather, the bulk of the funds are invested on government short term securities given their risk free characteristics which reflect the lazy bank syndrome. Prohibitively high cost of credit and existence of hidden charges also inhibit real sector access to commercial banks loan. Hence, to reconnect the banking system with the real sector, there is a need to discourage armchair banking business model and encourage supportive banking business model, lending and secure appropriate maturity profile of loans to the real sectors, promote modified collateral bank lending model, and encourage specialization of bank branches. These are expected to aid the growth of the real sector and fast track the process of economic development in Nigeria.

Securitization and Banks’ Capital Structure

Asset securitization offers banks the possibility of altering their capital structures and the financial intermediation process. This study shows that the introduction of securitization is associated with fundamental changes in the funding policies of banks. We present evidence of more intense use of securitization by banks with stronger growth opportunities, liquidity constraints, costlier alternative sources of funding, and restricted access to capital markets due to adverse selection. Securitization is observed to be higher in the pecking order of financing choices of small- and medium-sized banks and nonlisted banks, which are likely to face more severe adverse selection problems.

The Aggregate Behavior of Banks: A Proposal for Prudential Supervision

ABSTRACTThis study seeks to investigate a macroeconomic approach that could help bank regulators and supervisors perform their task of ensuring financial stability. To achieve this, an attempt is made to explain the behavior of banks by analyzing aggregate time series of credit lending and deposit-taking, which are the variables involved in financial intermediation. This article's main contribution is to present evidence of banks’ behavior in their role as financial intermediaries, in terms of the performance of the variables that represent their credit-granting or deposit-taking decisions. For this purpose the study used a vector autoregressive model to construct impulse response functions and the Granger test. The results demonstrate the existence of bilateral causality between credit lending and deposit--taking, suggesting that banks actively manage the financial intermediation process. In addition, the results show that shocks to deposits destabilize the credit lending process, and credit supply shocks, in turn, destabilize deposit-taking. The latter result is important for understanding how financial instability can arise, and is thus relevant for the bank regulator.

Securitization and Bankss Capital Structure

Asset securitization offers banks the possibility of altering their capital structures and the financial intermediation process. This study shows that the introduction of securitization is associated with fundamental changes in the funding policies of banks. In particular, we present evidence of more intense use of securitization by banks (i) with stronger growth opportunities; (ii) with liquidity constraints; (iii) with costlier alternative sources of funding; and (iv) with restricted access to capital markets owing to adverse selection. Securitization is also observed to be higher on the pecking order of financing choices of small and medium-sized banks and non-listed banks, which are likely to face more severe adverse selection problems.

Rural Banking – A Way for Balanced Regional Development

The Indian banking industry plays an important role in the economic development of the country and is the most dominant segment of the financial sector. During the last four and half decades, particularly after the first phase of nationalization of banks in 1969, there have been distinct improvements in the banking activities which strengthened the financial intermediation process. The Reserve Bank and the Government of India have taken many steps for inclusive growth and development. RBI encourages the Information Communication and Technology (ICT) model helping banks to counter the barriers of geography and achieve financial inclusion. Despite considerable expansion, banking penetration remains low in comparison to global markets. Merely, 40% of the adult population has a bank account; 13% of the people have a debit card and only two percent have credit cards; 25,000 plus villages have a bank branch out of the 6,00,000 villages in the country. This indicates the scope for expansion for Indian banks. The RRBs were established “with a view to develop the rural economy by providing, for the purpose of development of agriculture, trade, commerce, industry and other productive activities in the rural areas, credit and other facilities, particularly to small and marginal farmers, agricultural labourers, artisans and small entrepreneurs. The present paper entitled “Rural Banking – a Way for Balanced Regional Development” is a modest attempt, highlights the number of scheduled commercial bank branches functioning in rural and other than rural areas, position of households availing banking services in rural and urban areas, Bank Group-wise Distribution of Branches in rural and urban areas, RRBs credit flow to agriculture, status of financial inclusion as on 31st March, 2013 and Key Performance Indicators of RRB’s in Andhra Pradesh for the year ending 31st March, 2013.

Does Supply-leading Hypothesis Hold in a Developing Economy? A Nigerian Focus

Abstract The financial sector provides services that have been identified as germane for the growth of an economy. The principal function of the financial sector is the movement of financial resources between different units in an economy through the process of financial intermediation. An economy suffers if the financial sector is not efficient. An efficient financial sector can only exist when development occurs in the financial sector. However, the supply-leading hypothesis assumes that financial development is the driver of economic growth. Thus this study inquires into whether the supply-leading hypothesis can be upheld in a developing economy, with particular reference to the Nigerian economic growth between 1981 and 2013. Using the Granger Pairwise causality test, it reveals that there is weak evidence in support of supply-leading hypothesis; rather, the demand-following hypothesis is dominant in the economy. However, the study suggests that there is bi-directional causality between financial development variables and indices of economic growth which thus confirms the existence of their interdependence in Nigeria context.

The relationship between inflation and financial development in Saudi Arabia

The improved performance of the financial sector through its process of financial intermediation between savers and investors and between lenders and borrowers as well as the guidance of the funds those are available to the optimal investments lead to achieve the desired stable economic growth. Economists generally believe that high rates of inflation cause problems to some individuals and as well as for the whole economic performance. In general, low inflation rate with financial sector development plays a crucial and essential role in achieving sustained and stable economic growth. Therefore, maintaining inflation rate at low level and improving the financial sector performance are considering themain targets for policy makers to promote sustained and stable economic growth. So, the main purpose of this paper was to investigate empirically the relationship between inflation and financial sector development in Saudi Arabia for the period of 1982-2013.This paper used the autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) bound testing approach suggested by Perasan et al. (2001) to examine the existence of the long-run relationship between the inflation rate and financial sector development. The advantage of the bounds testing approach is in its applicability irrespective of whether the underlying variables are purely I (0), purely I (1) or mutually co-integrated.All data were tested for stationarity using Augmented Dickey-Fuller (ADF) test and the Phillip-Perron (PP) test to determine the order of integration. The variables included in this study are: The credit to the private sector as percentage of GDP was used as a proxy of financial development and inflation rate measured by the consumer price index. The study also included two more control variables: trade openness and real gross domestic product. The main findings are as follows. First, tests results of the Augmented Dickey-Fuller (ADF) and Phillips – Perron (PP) showed that consumer price index (LCPI), real gross domestic product (LGDP) and trade openness (LOPEN) did not seem to be stationary at their level but they were at first difference. Accordingly, they were integrated of order one I (1). On the other side, both tests results of financial development (LFD) seemed to be stationary at its level. Accordingly, it was integrated of order zero I (0). Second, results showed that there was a statistically significant long-and-short run negative relationship between inflation and financial development. Third, there was statistically significant positive impact of previous financial sector’s policies on financial sector development.Forth, results indicated that there was statistically significant positive impact of economic growth on financial development. Fifth, there was a statistically significant negative impact of trade openness on financial development.Accordingly, inflation and trade liberalization policy are the main obstacles facing financial sector performance. Therefore, the policy makers can reduce inflation through the use of appropriate fiscal and monetary policies.

Customer Perception and Emergence of Electronic Banking: A Case Study on Kolkata

The present research aims to show the role and importance of electronic banking in todays global world and its impact on banking sector due to the emergence of advance technologies. The paper tries to explain this transition in the banking sector and shows the new opportunities, shortcomings and various risks associated with this new form of e-banking from the customers perspective. Technology in banking is an important tool to identify the challenges and scope of improvement associated with the various banking products and services. It helps in analyzing the effect of transition from the traditional pattern. In order to achieve the aforesaid, a primary data investigation was carried out based on a questionnaire collected from a sample of 100 respondents. The market research tool of Factor Analysis was used to identify the factors that influence the idea of e-banking in the customers mind. These identified factors will attribute in better understanding of the application of the newly evolving technologies to gain customers confidence and enhance the process of financial integration and better intermediation in the market.

Securitization and Asset Prices

During the 15 years prior to the global financial crisis the volume of securitized assets transacted in the US has grown substantially, reflecting a change in the nature of the financial intermediation process. Together with increased securitization, financial entities, who participate more heavily in the asset-backed security (ABS) market and hold a diversified portfolio of assets, have also become more relevant. As a result, the volume of securitization, although traditionally associated with credit markets, influences the outcomes of other asset markets. We investigate the link between securitization and asset prices and show that increases in the growth rate of the volume of ABS issuance lead to a decline in both the bond and equity premia. We then build a model of bank portfolio choice where the creation of synthetic securities may occur. The pooling and tranching of credit assets relaxes both the funding and the risk constraints financial entities face allowing them to increase balance sheet holdings. This increase in asset demand depresses the compensation for undertaking risk in the economy, confirming our empirical results. We show that financial intermediation is linked with asset prices through this portfolio mechanism, whose strength depends on the volume of deals in the securitization market.

Tracing the Path to Universal Banking: The Indian Scenario

In India, the Commercial Banking sector has been the dominant element in the country’s financial system and performed the key functions of providing liquidity and payment services to the real sector, and has accounted for bulk of the financial intermediation process. However, since early 1990s, the Indian banking sector has been subjected to various reform measures initiated by the Government at the backdrop of economy-wide structural adjustment programme and also in response to the unsatisfactory economic and qualitative performance of the Public Sector Banks owing to lack of competition, low capital base, low productivity and high intermediation cost.Financial sector reforms have uprooted many of the outdated regulatory fences within which banks were required to carry out their activities. This provided more liberty to banks and they started exploiting different areas of operation. Gradually, many of the banks, apart from their indigenous function i.e., banking, started having substantial interests in all sorts of financial businesses like insurance, funds management, mutual funds, securities trading etc. Eventually, such a bank acquired the status of Financial Conglomerate and slowly began moving towards Universal Banking framework. However, in this process, the risk exposure of banks increased further and also it has raised a question on what should be the effective regulatory system for monitoring such conglomerates.Therefore, an attempt is made to trace the path of transition of Indian banks towards Universal banking framework, their risk exposure, opportunities and challenges confronted in this process of transition and the regulatory system needed to monitor such entities.The Journal of Nepalese Business Studies Vol. Vii, No. 1, 2010-2011Page : 17-30Uploaded date: July 7, 2012

Fiscal Deficits, Financial Fragility, and the Effectiveness of Government Policies

Recent macro developments in the euro area have highlighted the interactions between fiscal policy, sovereign debt, and financial fragility. We take a structural macroeconomic model with frictions in the financial intermediation process, in line with recent research, but introduce asset choice and sovereign debt holdings in the portfolio of banks. Using this model, we emphasize a new crowding-out mechanism that works through reduced private access to credit when banks accumulate sovereign debt under a leverage constraint. Our results show that, when banks invest a substantial fraction of their assets in sovereign debt, the effectiveness of fiscal stimulus policies may be impaired because deficit-financed fiscal expansions may tighten financial conditions to such an extent that private demand is crowded out. We also analyze the macroeconomic effectiveness of liquidity support to commercial banks through recapitalizations or loans by the government and the impact of different ways of financing those policies.

Fiscal Deficits, Financial Fragility, and the Effectiveness of Government Policies

Recent macro developments in the euro area have highlighted the interactions between fiscal policy, sovereign debt, and financial fragility. We take a structural macroeconomic model with frictions in the financial intermediation process, in line with recent research, but introduce asset choice and sovereign debt holdings in the portfolio of banks. Using this model, we emphasize a new crowding-out mechanism that works through reduced private access to credit when banks accumulate sovereign debt under a leverage constraint. Our results show that, when banks invest a substantial fraction of their assets in sovereign debt, the effectiveness of fiscal stimulus policies may be impaired because deficit-financed fiscal expansions may tighten financial conditions to such an extent that private demand is crowded out. We also analyze the macroeconomic effectiveness of liquidity support to commercial banks through recapitalizations or loans by the government and the impact of different ways of financing those policies.