Set against the background of a rapidly consolidating financial sector, this paper explores the main forces that are driving this process. Acknowledging that the search for scale and scope economies is one of them, the paper emphasises that the empirical evidence in support of such economies is...

In terms of its effects so far the global economic crisis is stronger and deeper than the economic disturbances at the time of the Great Depression. Additionally, it takes place under the conditions of a much higher level of connection and complexity of interrelations compared to the events in...

The ongoing financial crisis so far cost the German financial sector 38 billion Euros due to losses on its mortgage-related subprime bank exposures. This paper looks for the impact of these losses on the real sector of the economy. First, the financial sector is looked at as part of the overall...

Credit provision for small and poor households has always been the major element of nongovernment organizations in alleviating poverty. Recently, there has been a move to replicate the Bangladesh Grameen Bank in the Philippines known as Landless People’s Development Fund. This paper assesses...

This paper discusses financial reform and development in the Philippines during the past one and a half decades and the challenges facing the financial sector in the light of greater international financial integration. Issues on prudential regulation and how it can be improved and strengthened...

The monetary approach to the balance of payments (BOP) takes the view that domestic credit is exogenous to BOP and that it is deteriorated by the excess money, which results from domestic credit expansion. This article determines whether in fact the assertion is true. Utilizing the method...

One of the issues contending the rural borrowers, who are composed of small entrepreneurs, fishermen and farmers, is the access to financial services of formal financial institutions. With this fact on hand, this article discusses the issue within the framework of asymmetry of information...

Against the backdrop of rural financial markets, this article documents and describes Philippine rural deposit mobilization in view of the recent government attempts to reduce the urban bias of financial developments. It also examines the factors in rural economy that can contribute to the...

This article attempts to study the Philippine experience with financial liberalization. In particular, it examines the impact of interest rate reforms on the flow of loanable funds in the organized financial market.

This paper uses firm-level data from the Business Environment and Enterprise Performance Surveys to study the process of convergence of transition countries with developed market economies. The study focuses on competition and market structure, finance and the structure of lending to firms, and...