This paper analyzes the evolution of competitive conditions of Hong Kong's banking industry based the Panzar-Rosse approach and a panel dataset of retail banks in Hong Kong for the period 1991-2005. Relaxation of bank regulations and bank consolidations have changed substantially the banking...

This paper develops a model to identify the major determinants of a bank's profit, and the general level of profitability of a banking market. It found that in Hong Kong's case, market structure, such as market concentration and market shares of banks, is not a major contributory factor. Cost...

This working paper examines the degree of collusion in the banking sector of Hong Kong based on the conjectural variation approach. The results suggest that banks in Hong Kong operated in a competitive fashion in the loan market during the period 1991-2002 with no significant sign of collusion...

This study develops a framework for stress testing the credit exposures of Hong Kong's retail banks to macroeconomic shocks. Macro stress testing is performed with the framework to assess the vulnerability of banks' overall loan portfolios and mortgage exposures. A variety of shocks, similar to...

The HKMA has completed a research study on the setting of mortgage rate by Authorized Institutions (AIs). The purpose of the project is to consider whether in an environment of intensive competition and, until recently, abundant liquidity in the banking system, the AIs have adequately taken into...

Taking large open positions in the Hang Seng Index (HSI) futures formed part of the strategy of speculators in the 1998 episode of "speculative attacks" on the Hong Kong dollar and stock markets. The open interest in the HSI futures market has risen in the past three years, at one point to a...

This paper assesses whether agency ratings and market-based default risk measures are consistent for East Asian banks during the period 1996 to 2006. While the market-based measures are broadly consistent with the credit rating assessments for banks in developed economies, the discrepancy...

This study develops a stress-testing framework to assess liquidity risk of banks, where liquidity and default risks can stem from the crystallisation of market risk arising from a prolonged period of negative asset price shocks. In the framework, exogenous asset price shocks increase banks¡¯...

This paper assesses systemic linkages among banks in Hong Kong using the risk measure "CoVaR" derived from quantile regression. The CoVaR measure captures the co-movements of banks¡¯ default risk by taking into account their nonlinear relationship when the banks are in distress. Based on...

The presence of price disparity between A- and H- shares suggests that the two markets are segmented and thus allocation of capital is inefficient. In this paper, we attempt to identify the factors contributing to the price disparity, with a view to helping policymakers find solutions to the...