Empirical evidence on the relationships between concentration and profitability in Latin American banking

There has been growth in globalization as a result of increased liberalization. This has also resulted in an increase in the role of financial institutions, such as banks. It is the purpose of this study to test Classen’s (2001) hypothesis that increase foreign bank presence has positive welfare implications and that the functioning of national banking markets are improved as a result. Using financial data for 2003 this paper will examine the influence of foreign bank entry on Latin American domestic markets.