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Bank efficiency, ownership, and market structure : why are interest spreads so high in Uganda ?

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  • Beck, Thorsten
  • Hesse, Heiko

Abstract

Using a unique bank-level data set on the Ugandan banking system during 1999-2005, the authors explore the factors behind consistently high interest rate spreads and margins. While foreign banks charge lower interest rate spreads, they do not find a robust and economically significant relationship between privatization, foreign bank entry, market structure, and banking efficiency. Similarly, macroeconomic variables can explain little of the over-time variation in bank spreads. Bank-level characteristics, on the other hand, such as bank size, operating costs, and composition of loan portfolio explain a large proportion of cross-bank, cross-time variation in spreads and margins. However, time-invariant bank-level fixed effects explain the largest part of bank variation in spreads and margins. Further, the authors find tentative evidence that banks targeting the low end of the market incur higher costs and therefore higher margins.

Suggested Citation

  • Beck, Thorsten & Hesse, Heiko, 2006. "Bank efficiency, ownership, and market structure : why are interest spreads so high in Uganda ?," Policy Research Working Paper Series 4027, The World Bank.
  • Handle: RePEc:wbk:wbrwps:4027
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    2. Simplice A. Asongu & Nicholas M. Odhiambo, 2019. "Testing the Quiet Life Hypothesis in the African Banking Industry," Journal of Industry, Competition and Trade, Springer, vol. 19(1), pages 69-82, March.
    3. Asongu, Simplice A. & Biekpe, Nicholas, 2018. "ICT, information asymmetry and market power in African banking industry," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 44(C), pages 518-531.
    4. Simplice Asongu & Rexon Nting & Joseph Nnanna, 2020. "Market power and cost efficiency in the African banking industry," Journal of Economic Studies, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 47(6), pages 1247-1264, May.
    5. Ndanshau, Michael O.A. & Semu, Amanda M., 2023. "Determinants of Bank Credit Supply to the Private Sector in Tanzania," African Journal of Economic Review, African Journal of Economic Review, vol. 11(2), March.
    6. Ruitao Gu & Qiaoyun Zhang & Wei Zhou & Jianxu Liu, 2022. "Judging the True Health of Finance Institutions Based on Risk Behavior and Operation Performance," Mathematical Problems in Engineering, Hindawi, vol. 2022, pages 1-21, November.
    7. Simplice A. Asongu & Sara Le Roux & Vanessa S. Tchamyou, 2019. "Essential information sharing thresholds for reducing market power in financial access: a study of the African banking industry," Journal of Banking Regulation, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 20(1), pages 34-50, March.
    8. Chuling Chen, 2009. "Bank Efficiency in Sub-Saharan African Middle Income Countries," IMF Working Papers 2009/014, International Monetary Fund.
    9. Asongu, Simplice & Batuo, Enowbi & Nwachukwu, Jacinta & Tchamyou, Vanessa, 2018. "Is information diffusion a threat to market power for financial access? Insights from the African banking industry," Journal of Multinational Financial Management, Elsevier, vol. 45(C), pages 88-104.
    10. Dilli Raj Khanal, 2007. "Services Trade in Developing Asia:A Case Study of the Banking and Insurance Sector in Nepal," Working Papers 3907, Asia-Pacific Research and Training Network on Trade (ARTNeT), an initiative of UNESCAP and IDRC, Canada..
    11. Simplice A. Asongu & Nicholas M. Odhiambo, 2019. "Size, efficiency, market power, and economies of scale in the African banking sector," Financial Innovation, Springer;Southwestern University of Finance and Economics, vol. 5(1), pages 1-22, December.
    12. Florin Aliu & Orkhan Nadirov, 2016. "Kosovo Banking Paradox," Academic Journal of Economic Studies, Faculty of Finance, Banking and Accountancy Bucharest,"Dimitrie Cantemir" Christian University Bucharest, vol. 2(4), pages 11-22, December.
    13. Hesse, Heiko, 2007. "Financial intermediation in the pre-consolidated banking sector in Nigeria," Policy Research Working Paper Series 4267, The World Bank.
    14. Salahuddin Ahmad & Dilli Raj Khanal, 2007. "Services Trade in Developing Asia: A Case Study of the Banking and Insurance Sector in Bangladesh," Working Papers 3807, Asia-Pacific Research and Training Network on Trade (ARTNeT), an initiative of UNESCAP and IDRC, Canada..
    15. Serhat Yuksel & Sinemis Zengin, 2017. "Influencing Factors of Net Interest Margin in Turkish Banking Sector," International Journal of Economics and Financial Issues, Econjournals, vol. 7(1), pages 178-191.
    16. Govori, Fadil, 2013. "The performance of commercial banks and the determinants of profitability: Evidence from Kosovo," MPRA Paper 46824, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    17. Samar Jameel Kalyal & Dawood Ashraf & Asfia Obaid, 2019. "The Role of Stability and Ownership Structure in Determining the Efficiency of US Bank Holding Companies," Business & Economic Review, Institute of Management Sciences, Peshawar, Pakistan, vol. 11(2), pages 19-44, June.
    18. Clarke, George R.G. & Cull, Robert & Fuchs, Michael, 2009. "Bank Privatization in Sub-Saharan Africa: The Case of Uganda Commercial Bank," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 37(9), pages 1506-1521, September.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Banks&Banking Reform; Economic Theory&Research; Investment and Investment Climate; Financial Crisis Management&Restructuring; Financial Intermediation;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • G21 - Financial Economics - - Financial Institutions and Services - - - Banks; Other Depository Institutions; Micro Finance Institutions; Mortgages
    • G30 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - General
    • O16 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Financial Markets; Saving and Capital Investment; Corporate Finance and Governance

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