We check if the level of capital buffers influences the quality of bank diversification strategies. We use consolidated data of listed US BHCs from 2007:Q3 to 2017:Q4. Dynamic panel estimations and marginal effect analyses demonstrate that diversification exerted non-monotonic impacts on bank...

We analyze how the inflow of liquidity through TARP funds in the wake of the 2007/2008 financial crisis impacted banks' interbank market activity. We show that TARP banks increased interbank market activity statistically and economically in a very significant way. Their interbank lending...

This paper empirically analyzes the determinants of banks' systemic importance. In constructing a measure on the systemic importance of financial institutions we find that size is a leading determinant. This confirms the usual "Too big to fail" argument. Nevertheless, banks with size above a...

EU politicians pressured the IASB to change the accounting rules for financial assets at the peak of the financial crisis in October 2008. The new rules enabled banks to forgo the recognition of unrealized fair value losses through reclassifications. This paper puts the ensuing regulatory relief...

We develop a general equilibrium model of banks' capital structure, featuring heterogeneous portfolio risk and an imperfectly elastic supply of bank equity stemming from financial market segmentation. In our model, equity is costly and serves as a buffer against insolvency. Banks are ex-ante...

During the financial crisis, 114 European banks benefited from government support in Europe. We investigate the financial condition of banks before and after receiving state support using logit regressions. Our results indicate that the equity ratio, loan quality and bank size are the main...

On 16th November 2009, SUERF, CEPS and the Belgian Financial Forum coorganized a conference "Crisis management at cross-roads" in Brussels. All papers in the present volume are based on contributions at the conference and the SUERF Annual Lecture which followed the event.

This paper analyses the impact of different treatments of government bonds in bank liquidity regulation on financial stability. Using a theoretical model, we show that a sudden increase in sovereign default risk may lead to liquidity issues in the banking sector, implying the insolvency of a...

Regulators frequently relax accounting rules during a financial crisis as a means of regulatory forbearance. The new accounting options provide banks with an opportunity for an accrual-based increase in their regulatory capital. The use of such an accounting option helps reduce the costs of...

In this paper, we argue for a regulatory framework under which a bank’s required level of equity capital depends on the equity capital of its peers. Such bankingon- the-average rules are transparent and could also be combined with the current regulatory framework. In addition, we argue that...