This paper examines the impact of ongoing cross-border integration of securities market infrastructure in the European Union. In particular, it analyzes the regulatory framework that has evolved to deal with the risks associated with cross-border clearing and settlement and concludes that, due...

Cover -- Contents -- Abstract -- I. Introduction -- II. Defining Small States by population -- III. Lacking Economies of Scale -- A. Fixed costs spread over narrow base -- B. Scope for regional cooperation -- IV. Income per capita -- V. Scope for Import substitution through agriculture -- VI....

This paper seeks to document key characteristics of small island states in the Pacific. It restricts itself to a limited number of indicators which are macro-orientated - population, fertility of land, ability to tap into economies of scale, income, and geographic isolation. It leaves aside...

This study investigates the relationship between production efficiency in financial intermediation and financial system size. The study predicts and tests for the existence of ""systemic scale economies"" (SSEs), whereby value-maximizing intermediaries operating in large systems are expected to...

This paper provides a comprehensive analysis of financial cycles using a large database covering 21 advanced countries over the period 1960:1-2007:4. Specifically, we analyze cycles in credit, house prices, and equity prices. We report three main results. First, financial cycles tend to be long...

Long-term relationships between business firms and investment banks are pervasive in developed security markets and there is evidence that better monitoring and information result from these relationships. Therefore, security markets should allocate resources better when an investment banking...

International financial integration has greatly increased the scope for changes in a country''s net foreign asset position through the valuation channel, namely capital gains and losses on external assets and liabilities. We examine this valuation channel in a dynamic equilibrium portfolio model...

Recent regulatory initiatives in the United States have again raised the issue of a ''''level regulatory and supervisory playing field'''' and the degree of competition globally between over-the-counter (OTC) derivatives and organized derivative exchange (ODE) markets. This paper models some...