We analyse the determinants of the variation of option-adjusted credit spreads (OASs) on a unique database that enlarges the traditional scope of analysis to more disaggregated indexes (combining industry, grade and maturity levels), new variables (volumes of sales and purchases of institutional...

After a review of factors such as technology and the related policy toward financial liberalization that has affected financial institutions worldwide, this paper focuses on changes in Continental Europe. We identify and review three driving forces: (a) European integration, (b) the factors that...