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The Determinants of Capital Buffers in CEECs

Author

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  • Francesco D'Arack
  • Sandrine Levasseur

    (Observatoire français des conjonctures économiques)

Abstract

Banking capital ratios show a steadily decline in almost Central and Eastern European Countries (CEECs) since 2001, despite unchanged capital adequacy rules. Using a dynamic panel-analysis based on country-level data for CEECs, we empirically assess the determinants of capital buffers. Main results are as follows. First, there are large and significant adjustment costs in raising capital. Second, banks behave pro-cyclically, depleting their buffers in upturns to benefit from unanticipated investment opportunities. Third, there is a significant negative relationship between current levels of non-performing loans (NPLs) and capital buffers, suggesting that banks in CEECs are risk-takers. Banking sectors with large past NPLs however tend to have larger buffers. Finally, the access to external capital may appear still somewhat limited, with banks relying on internally generated funds to raise buffers.

Suggested Citation

  • Francesco D'Arack & Sandrine Levasseur, 2007. "The Determinants of Capital Buffers in CEECs," Sciences Po publications N°2007-28, Sciences Po.
    • Handle: RePEc:spo:wpmain:info:hdl:2441/3962
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

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    2. Sherene A. Bailey-Tapper, 2011. "Investigating the Link between Bank Capital & Economic Activity: Evidence on Jamaican Panel," Money Affairs, CEMLA, vol. 0(2), pages 163-188, July-Dece.
    3. Pavla Klepková Vodová, 2019. "Determinants of Solvency in Selected CEE Banking Sectors: Does Affiliation with the Financial Conglomerate Matter?," Acta Universitatis Agriculturae et Silviculturae Mendelianae Brunensis, Mendel University Press, vol. 67(2), pages 493-501.
    4. José Eduardo Gómez-González & Nidia Ruth Reyes, 2011. "Firm Failure and Relation Lending: New Evidence from Small Businesses," Money Affairs, CEMLA, vol. 0(2), pages 123-141, July-Dece.
    5. Festic, Mejra & Kavkler, Alenka, 2012. "The Roots of the Banking Crisis in the New EU Member States: A Panel Regression Approach," Journal for Economic Forecasting, Institute for Economic Forecasting, vol. 0(1), pages 20-40, March.
    6. Balázs Égert & Douglas Sutherland, 2014. "The Nature of Financial and Real Business Cycles: The Great Moderation and Banking Sector Pro-Cyclicality," Scottish Journal of Political Economy, Scottish Economic Society, vol. 61(1), pages 98-117, February.
    7. Mejra Festić & Sebastijan Repina & Alenka Kavkler, 2009. "The overheating of five EU new member states and cyclicality of systemic risk in the banking sector," Journal of Business Economics and Management, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 10(3), pages 219-232, May.
    8. Mejra Festić, 2015. "The Stability of the Credit Supply in the Globalized Banking Sector Environment: The Case of the EU New Member States-10," Prague Economic Papers, Prague University of Economics and Business, vol. 2015(4), pages 386-398.
    9. Khurram Iftikhar & Syed Faizan Iftikhar, 2018. "The impact of business cycle on capital buffer during the period of Basel-II and Basel-III: Evidence from the Pakistani banks," International Journal of Financial Engineering (IJFE), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 5(04), pages 1-20, December.

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