The Banking Regulatory Bubble and How to Get Out of It
CERBE Working Paper No. 1
21 Pages Posted: 9 Apr 2019
Date Written: May 15, 2014
Abstract
We claim that we currently live in a banking regulatory bubble. We review how: i) banking intermediation theory hinges on dealing with borrower-lender asymmetry of information; ii) instead, the presence of complete information is the keystone of the finance theory. Next, we document how finance theory prevailed over banking intermediation theory in shaping banking regulation: This appalling contradiction is the true culprit behind lower credit standards, mounting systemic risk in banking, and macroeconomic debt overhang. Consequently, we discuss actions that, by restoring the consistency of banking regulation with the theory of banking intermediation, would make banking sounder.
Keywords: Asymmetric Information, Relationship Lending vs Transactional Lending, Efficient Markets Hypothesis, Banking Regulation Inconsistencies, Basel II
JEL Classification: G01, G14, G21, G28
Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation