Should Banks Be Narrowed?

Biaggio Bossone

No 2001/159, IMF Working Papers from International Monetary Fund

Abstract: Over the past seventy years, the proposal to narrow the scope of banks has occurred more and more frequently in financial debates and research. Narrow banking would prevent deposit-issuing banks from lending to the private sector and restrict nonbank intermediaries from funding investments with demand deposits. Proponents of narrow banking defend it as a step toward greater financial stability and efficiency. This study reviews the literature on the subject, contrasts the concept of narrow banking with contemporary banking theories, and evaluates the potential consequences of narrow banking on finance and the real economy. The study also runs an empirical exercise to estimate the costs of bank narrowness and draws policy conclusions.

Keywords: WP; bank; deposit; bank narrowness; narrow banking; financial intermediation; nonbanks; narrow-banking regulation; bank market concentration indicator; bank assets; exemption clause; Credit; Bank deposits; Commercial banks; Liquidity; Bank credit (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 34
Date: 2001-10-01
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (18)

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