The Procyclicality of Banking: Evidence from the Euro Area

53 Pages Posted: 12 Jun 2019

See all articles by Luc Laeven

Luc Laeven

European Central Bank (ECB); Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR)

Harry Huizinga

Tilburg University - Center for Economic Research (CentER); Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR)

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Date Written: June 7, 2019

Abstract

Loan loss provisions in the euro area are negatively related to GDP growth, i.e., they are procyclical. Loan loss provisions tend to be more procyclical at larger and better capitalized banks. The procyclicality of loan loss provisions can explain about two-thirds of the variation of bank capitalization over the business cycle. We estimate that provisioning procyclicality in the euro area is about twice as large as in other advanced economies. This difference reflects a larger procyclicality of provisioning in euro area countries already prior to euro adoption, and the divergent growth experiences of euro area countries following the global financial crisis.

Keywords: banks, financial regulation, accounting, bank capital, loan loss provisioning, financial stability

JEL Classification: G20

Suggested Citation

Laeven, Luc A. and Huizinga, Harry, The Procyclicality of Banking: Evidence from the Euro Area (June 7, 2019). ECB Working Paper No. 2288 (2019); ISBN 978-92-899-3550-0 , Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3402395 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3402395

Luc A. Laeven (Contact Author)

European Central Bank (ECB) ( email )

Sonnemannstrasse 22
Frankfurt am Main, 60314
Germany

Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR)

London
United Kingdom

Harry Huizinga

Tilburg University - Center for Economic Research (CentER) ( email )

P.O. Box 90153
Tilburg, 5000 LE
Netherlands
+31 13 466 2623 (Phone)
+31 13 466 3042 (Fax)

Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR)

London
United Kingdom

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