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COVID-19 as a stress test: Assessing the bank regulatory framework

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  • Duncan, Elizabeth
  • Horvath, Akos
  • Iercosan, Diana
  • Loudis, Bert
  • Maddrey, Alice
  • Martinez, Francis
  • Mooney, Timothy
  • Ranish, Ben
  • Wang, Ke
  • Warusawitharana, Missaka
  • Wix, Carlo

Abstract

The broad economic damage of the COVID-19 pandemic poses the first major test of the bank regulatory reforms put in place after the Global Financial Crisis. Our study assesses the U.S. regulatory framework, with an emphasis on capital and liquidity requirements. Prior to the COVID-19 crisis, banks were well capitalized and held ample liquid assets, which partly reflects enhanced requirements. The overall robust capital and liquidity levels resulted in a resilient banking system, which maintained lending and market making through the early stages of the pandemic. Trading activity was a source of strength for banks, reflecting in part a prudent regulatory approach. That said, leverage requirements are associated with more repo position netting by banks, with potential implications for market making.

Suggested Citation

  • Duncan, Elizabeth & Horvath, Akos & Iercosan, Diana & Loudis, Bert & Maddrey, Alice & Martinez, Francis & Mooney, Timothy & Ranish, Ben & Wang, Ke & Warusawitharana, Missaka & Wix, Carlo, 2022. "COVID-19 as a stress test: Assessing the bank regulatory framework," Journal of Financial Stability, Elsevier, vol. 61(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:finsta:v:61:y:2022:i:c:s1572308922000419
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jfs.2022.101016
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    Cited by:

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    3. Cao, Yifei & Chou, Jen-Yu, 2022. "Bank resilience over the COVID-19 crisis: The role of regulatory capital," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 48(C).
    4. Anani, Makafui & Owusu, Felix, 2023. "Regulatory capital and bank risk-resilience amid the Covid-19 pandemic: How are the Basel reforms faring?," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 52(C).
    5. Dursun-de Neef, H． Özlem & Schandlbauer, Alexander & Wittig, Colin, 2023. "Countercyclical capital buffers and credit supply: Evidence from the COVID-19 crisis," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 154(C).
    6. Hüser, Anne-Caroline & Lepore, Caterina & Veraart, Luitgard A. M., 2024. "How does the repo market behave under stress? Evidence from the COVID-19 crisis," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 121347, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    7. Mathur, Aakriti & Naylor, Matthew & Rajan, Aniruddha, 2023. "Useful, usable, and used? Buffer usability during the Covid-19 crisis," Bank of England working papers 1011, Bank of England.
    8. Degryse, Hans & Huylebroek, Cédric, 2023. "Fiscal support and banks’ loan loss provisions during the COVID-19 crisis," Journal of Financial Stability, Elsevier, vol. 67(C).
    9. Pala, Melissa, 2024. "COVID-19 and the fragmentation of the European interbank market," Discussion Papers 07/2024, Deutsche Bundesbank.
    10. Pala, Melissa, 2023. "COVID-19 and the Fragmentation of the European Interbank Market," VfS Annual Conference 2023 (Regensburg): Growth and the "sociale Frage" 277572, Verein für Socialpolitik / German Economic Association.
    11. Alexander, Gordon J. & Baptista, Alexandre M. & Yan, Shu, 2021. "Regulation of bank proprietary trading post 2007–09 crisis: An examination of the Basel framework and Volcker rule," Journal of International Money and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 119(C).

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