Lending Booms and Lending Standards

Giovanni Dell'ariccia and Robert Marquez

No 5095, CEPR Discussion Papers from Centre for Economic Policy Research

Abstract: This paper examines how the informational structure of loan markets interacts with banks? strategic behaviour in determining lending standards, lending volumes, and the aggregate allocation of credit. In a setting where banks obtain private information about their clients? creditworthiness, we show that banks may loosen lending standards when information asymmetries vis à vis other banks are low. In equilibrium this reduction in standards leads to a deterioration of banks? portfolios, a reduction in their profits, and an aggregate credit expansion. Furthermore, we show that although these low standards may increase aggregate surplus, they also increase the risk of financial instability. We therefore provide an explanation for the sequence of financial liberalization, lending booms, and banking crises that have occurred in many emerging markets.

Keywords: Banking competition; Lending standards; Asymmetric information (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: D82 G21 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2005-06
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-bec, nep-fin and nep-fmk
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (13)

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Journal Article: Lending Booms and Lending Standards (2006)
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