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How the COVID-19 Pandemic Affects Bank Risks and Returns: Evidence from EU Members in Central, Eastern, and Northern Europe

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  • Ewa Miklaszewska

    (Institute of Finance, Cracow University of Economics, Rakowicka 27, 31-510 Krakow, Poland)

  • Krzysztof Kil

    (Institute of Finance, Cracow University of Economics, Rakowicka 27, 31-510 Krakow, Poland)

  • Marcin Idzik

    (Institute of Economics and Finance, Warsaw University of Life Sciences, Nowoursynowska 166, 02-787 Warszawa, Poland)

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine banks’ strategic adjustments to the challenges brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic. It examines how deep and pressing the necessary transformations are, based on an analysis of the banking sectors of Central, Eastern, and Northern European countries (CENE): the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. The main research question posed asks how the pandemic and the subsequent economic crisis have changed banks’ sources of profits and risks, forcing banks to speed up structural transformations. In particular, the study identified and verified the following hypotheses: that the initial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on banks in the analyzed region was heterogeneous and that the pandemic has intensified the challenges of digitalization and forced banks to speed up the digital transformations of their business models. The methodology employed was the dynamic panel data model—generalized method of moment (GMM-SYS version), using an adjusted dataset from the BankFocus database for unconsolidated bank data for the 2016–2020 period. The econometric analysis was supplemented with a CENE bank survey, researching bank attitudes and the stage of digital transformation. The results of the survey revealed that the majority of the surveyed banks consider themselves digitalization leaders, with a clearly articulated and implemented digitalization strategy. The main finding of the study was that the digital focus may help large banks in CENE to address and offset problems revealed by the panel data model: that traditional sources of incomes, based on intermediation and interest-related incomes, no longer contribute positively to profitability but also to stability.

Suggested Citation

  • Ewa Miklaszewska & Krzysztof Kil & Marcin Idzik, 2021. "How the COVID-19 Pandemic Affects Bank Risks and Returns: Evidence from EU Members in Central, Eastern, and Northern Europe," Risks, MDPI, vol. 9(10), pages 1-22, October.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jrisks:v:9:y:2021:i:10:p:180-:d:652593
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    2. Pejman Peykani & Mostafa Sargolzaei & Mohammad Hashem Botshekan & Camelia Oprean-Stan & Amir Takaloo, 2023. "Optimization of Asset and Liability Management of Banks with Minimum Possible Changes," Mathematics, MDPI, vol. 11(12), pages 1-24, June.
    3. Malgorzata Mikita, 2022. "The Interrelationship Among Efficiency and Concentration of Banking System and its Stability: Evidence from Poland," European Research Studies Journal, European Research Studies Journal, vol. 0(1), pages 670-689.
    4. Aleksandrina Pancheva, 2022. "Impact of Covid-19 on Banking Performance in the case of Bulgarian Bank System," Izvestia Journal of the Union of Scientists - Varna. Economic Sciences Series, Union of Scientists - Varna, Economic Sciences Section, vol. 11(1), pages 37-46, April.
    5. Md. Abu Issa Gazi & Md. Nahiduzzaman & Iman Harymawan & Abdullah Al Masud & Bablu Kumar Dhar, 2022. "Impact of COVID-19 on Financial Performance and Profitability of Banking Sector in Special Reference to Private Commercial Banks: Empirical Evidence from Bangladesh," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(10), pages 1-23, May.
    6. Tiago F. A. Matos & João C. A. Teixeira & Tiago M. Dutra, 2023. "The contribution of macroprudential policies to banks' resilience: Lessons from the systemic crises and the COVID‐19 pandemic shock," International Review of Finance, International Review of Finance Ltd., vol. 23(4), pages 794-830, December.

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