that well-functioning credit markets would reflect a bank channel for monetary policy at work, we test whether a change in … and the associated change in interest rate does not affect change in bank credit, change in total debt and the proportion … of bank credit in total debt for any of the firms. We discuss the policy implications of the findings. …

This paper uses a unique dataset where credit rejections experienced by euro area firms are matched with firm and bank … characteristics. This allows us to study simultaneously the role that bank and firm weakness had in the credit reduction observed in … the euro area during the sovereign debt crisis, and in credit developments characterising the post-crisis recovery …