This paper studies the determinants of global liquidity using data on cross-border bank flows, with a longer time series and broader country sample than previous studies. We define global liquidity as non-price determinants of cross-border credit supply, consistent with its meaning as the...

The recent crisis has spurred the use of bank stress tests as a crisis management and early warning tool. However, a weakness is that current stress tests are based on consolidated balance sheets, and thus omit potential risks embedded in banking groups’ geographical structures by assuming...

Is liberalization in developing countries good for growth even if it leads to crises? The answer is a clear yes. But then, how can we explain the less-than-stellar growth performance of Mexico, a prominent liberalizer and member of NAFTA? In this paper we address these questions by analyzing the...

Household borrowing in a foreign currency is a widespread phenomenon in Austria. Twelve percent of Austrian households report their housing loan to be denominated in either Swiss franc or Japanese yen for example. Yet, despite its importance, peculiar character, and immediate policy concerns, we...

Banks in the Asian economies most affected by the Asian financial crisis generally continue to enjoy comfortable liquidity in the international interbank market. The apparent international illiquidity of banks in Korea is concentrated in foreign banks. Foreign banks’ offshore funding of local...

Over the past decade, many emerging markets have increased their dependence on credit from foreign banks. However, the ongoing financial crisis may prompt banks to reassess their exposures to these economies. Panel regression analysis of data since the early 1990s indicates that a deterioration...

The structure of the international banking market has evolved in important ways since the introduction of the euro in 1999. In comparison to legacy currencies, the use of the euro in cross-border banking transactions grew on aggregate, and the bilateral linkages within the euro area became more...

Activity in the international banking market has grown in recent years, both in absolute terms and relative to aggregate measures of economic activity and liquidity. By establishing a global outreach, several international banking centres have become key players in this market. This feature...

The recent period of financial turmoil has had a significant impact on banks' global balance sheet positions. This piece uses the BIS international banking statistics to trace the longer-term developments in the interbank market which contributed to the funding difficulties experienced during...