How Do Bank-Specific Characteristics Affect Lending? New Evidence Based on Credit Registry Data from Latin America

Abstract

This paper focuses on the recent changes in banking systems and how bank-specific characteristics have affected credit supply in five Latin American countries (Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico and Peru). We use detailed credit registry data and apply a common empirical strategy. Since data confidentiality prevents the pooling of the data, we use meta-analysis techniques to summarise the results. We find that large and well-capitalised banks with low risk indicators, stable sources of funding, and a commercial business model generally supply more credit. Such banks are also more sheltered from monetary and global shocks, with the role of specific characteristics varying by the type of shock.

Keywords: bank business models, bank lending, credit registry data, meta-analysis

JEL Classification: E51, E58, G21