Bank Capital Redux: Solvency, Liquidity, and Crisis

75 Pages Posted: 27 Mar 2017 Last revised: 17 Feb 2023

See all articles by Òscar Jordà

Òscar Jordà

Federal Reserve Banks - Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco

Björn Richter

Universitat Pompeu Fabra; Barcelona Graduate School of Economics (Barcelona GSE)

Moritz Schularick

University of Bonn - Department of Economics; Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR)

Alan M. Taylor

University of California, Davis - Department of Economics; National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER); Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR)

Date Written: March 2017

Abstract

What is the relationship between bank capital, the risk of a financial crisis, and its severity? This paper introduces the first comprehensive analysis of the long-run evolution of the capital structure of modern banking using newly constructed data for banks’ balance sheets in 17 countries since 1870. In addition to establishing stylized facts on the changing funding mix of banks, we study the nexus between capital structure and financial instability. We find no association between higher capital and lower risk of banking crisis. However, economies with better capitalized banking systems recover faster from financial crises as credit begins to flow back more readily.

Suggested Citation

Jordà, Òscar and Richter, Björn and Schularick, Moritz and Taylor, Alan M., Bank Capital Redux: Solvency, Liquidity, and Crisis (March 2017). NBER Working Paper No. w23287, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2941265

Òscar Jordà (Contact Author)

Federal Reserve Banks - Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco ( email )

Björn Richter

Universitat Pompeu Fabra ( email )

Ramon Trias Fargas, 25-27
Barcelona, E-08005
Spain

Barcelona Graduate School of Economics (Barcelona GSE) ( email )

Ramon Trias Fargas, 25-27
Barcelona, Barcelona 08005
Spain

Moritz Schularick

University of Bonn - Department of Economics ( email )

Bonn
Germany

Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR)

London
United Kingdom

Alan M. Taylor

University of California, Davis - Department of Economics ( email )

One Shields Drive
Davis, CA 95616-8578
United States
530-752-1572 (Phone)
530-752-9382 (Fax)

HOME PAGE: http://www.econ.ucdavis.edu/faculty/amtaylor/

National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER)

1050 Massachusetts Avenue
Cambridge, MA 02138
United States

HOME PAGE: http://nber.org

Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR)

London
United Kingdom

HOME PAGE: http://cepr.org

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