The Impact of Bank Regulations, Concentration, and Institutions on Bank Margins

57 Pages Posted: 20 Apr 2016

See all articles by Asli Demirgüç-Kunt

Asli Demirgüç-Kunt

World Bank

Luc Laeven

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

Ross Levine

Stanford University; National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER)

Date Written: April 15, 2003

Abstract

This paper examines the impact of bank regulations, concentration, inflation, and national institutions on bank net interest margins using data from over 1,400 banks across 72 countries while controlling for bank-specific characteristics. The data indicate that tighter regulations on bank entry and bank activities boost net interest margins. Inflation also exerts a robust, positive impact on bank margins. While concentration is positively associated with net interest margins, this relationship breaks down when controlling for regulatory impediments to competition and inflation. Furthermore, bank regulations become insignificant when controlling for national indicators of economic freedom or property rights protection, while these institutional indicators robustly explain cross-bank net interest margins. So, bank regulations cannot be viewed in isolation. They reflect broad, national approaches to private property and competition.

This paper - a product of Finance, Development Research Group - is part of a larger effort in the group to understand the impact of bank concentration and competition.

Suggested Citation

Demirgüç-Kunt, Asli and Laeven, Luc A. and Levine, Ross, The Impact of Bank Regulations, Concentration, and Institutions on Bank Margins (April 15, 2003). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=636392

Asli Demirgüç-Kunt (Contact Author)

World Bank ( email )

1818 H Street, NW
Washington, DC 20433
United States

Luc A. Laeven

European Central Bank (ECB) ( email )

Sonnemannstrasse 22
Frankfurt am Main, 60314
Germany

Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR)

London
United Kingdom

Ross Levine

Stanford University ( email )

Stanford, CA 94305
United States

National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER)

1050 Massachusetts Avenue
Cambridge, MA 02138
United States