Bank Lending and Monetary Shocks: an Empirical Investigation

This paper provides a systematic empirical study of the role of credit market frictions in the transmission of monetary shocks. First, using macro data for a developing economy (Pakistan), we show that banking spreads are countercyclical, even when we control for credit risk, monetary policy and potential maturity mismatches. Moreover, we find that this anticyclical nature is accentuated in the presence of government as an active participant in the private credit market. Then, using a unique dataset on corporate loan agreements for the period 2006-2011, we find evidence that, in times of tight monetary conditions, there is an overall increase in the pass-through of policy impulses to individual loans rates. Furthermore, our evidence suggest that the impact of these shocks is disproportionately felt by borrowers and is especially biased towards less established firms. Moreover, small (weak) banks change their loan conditions the most in tight conditions. Thus, our findings support the view that the existence of a credit channel is particularly relevant for emerging economies, hence emphasizing the need for appropriate stabilization policies.