Quantitative Easing and Bank Risk-Taking Behavior

In this paper, we examine the effect of reserve creation due to the Federal Reserve’s Large-scale Asset Purchase programs on bank lending and risk-taking behavior. In particular, we test the existence of a risk-taking channel that induces banks with higher reserve accumulation due to the Fed’s policy to increase the share of riskier loans. Exploiting the heterogeneity in the exposure to such asset purchase programs, as measured by relative mortgage-backed securities holdings in the banks’ portfolios, we use difference-in-differences analysis to study the effect of the Fed’s policies on the supply of total loans and the share of riskier loans such as real estate, commercial and industrial, and consumer loans. We find that the first and third round of Quantitative Easing (QE) policies led to an increase in both the total loans and the share of riskier loans within the banks’ portfolios, supporting the risk-raking channel. The second round of QE on the other hand, had no significant impact on banks’ lending behavior