Nonbank lenders as global shock absorbers: evidence from US monetary policy spillovers

We show that nonbank lenders act as global shock absorbers from US monetary policy spillovers. For identification, we exploit loan‑level data from the global syndicated lending market and US monetary policy surprises. We find that when US monetary policy tightens, nonbanks increase dollar credit supply to non‑US corporate borrowers, relative to banks. This partially mitigates the total reduction in dollar lending. The substitution is stronger for emerging market borrowers, riskier borrowers, and borrowers in countries subject to stronger capital inflow restrictions. Results suggest that our findings are not driven by borrower‑lender matching, zombie lending, or destabilising lending. Moreover, the credit substitution has real effects, as firms with existing relationships with nonbank lenders increase total debt, investment, and employment relative to firms without such relationships. Our findings suggest that having more diversified funding providers (nonbanks in addition to banks) reduces the volatility in capital flows and economic activity associated with the global financial cycle.