European Banks' US Dollar Funding Pressures

Abstract

With major central banks having re-established temporary foreign exchange swap facilities to alleviate growing strains in short-term funding markets, European banks’ US dollar funding patterns are back in the news. This article documents the persistence of these banks’ aggregate US dollar funding needs, pointing to an ongoing, large-scale reliance on sources of wholesale funds and, in particular, on the foreign exchange swap market.

JEL Classification: F34, F55, G01 G21