IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/fau/fauart/v63y2013i4p308-326.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Loan Loss Provisioning in Selected European Banking Sectors: Do Banks Really Behave in a Procyclical Way?

Author

Abstract

This paper sets out to discuss the extent of procyclicality in European banks’ lending behavior and how much the regulatory and accounting framework may contribute to it. The main focus is the behavior of banks regarding provisioning against impaired financial assets. It also discusses whether a through-the-cycle provisioning regime could serve as one of the possible regulatory responses to the ongoing financial crisis. Our applied analysis reveals that European banks are among those that provision in a procyclical manner. On the theoretical level, therefore, through-the-cycle provisioning could be helpful in creating a buffer during good times which could then be used during recessions. On the practical level, however, through-the-cycle provisioning would for numerous reasons be difficult to introduce soon and would first need to be aligned with the other components of the international framework for accounting and for the regulation of financial institutions.

Suggested Citation

  • Jan FRAIT & Zlatuše KOMÁRKOVÁ, 2013. "Loan Loss Provisioning in Selected European Banking Sectors: Do Banks Really Behave in a Procyclical Way?," Czech Journal of Economics and Finance (Finance a uver), Charles University Prague, Faculty of Social Sciences, vol. 63(4), pages 308-326, August.
  • Handle: RePEc:fau:fauart:v:63:y:2013:i:4:p:308-326
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://journal.fsv.cuni.cz/storage/1278_308-326-frait.pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Claudio Borio & Craig Furfine & Philip Lowe, 2001. "Procyclicality of the financial system and financial stability: issues and policy options," BIS Papers chapters, in: Bank for International Settlements (ed.), Marrying the macro- and micro-prudential dimensions of financial stability, volume 1, pages 1-57, Bank for International Settlements.
    2. Bouvatier, Vincent & Lepetit, Laetitia, 2008. "Banks' procyclical behavior: Does provisioning matter?," Journal of International Financial Markets, Institutions and Money, Elsevier, vol. 18(5), pages 513-526, December.
    3. Kim, Daesik & Santomero, Anthony M., 1993. "Forecasting required loan loss reserves," Journal of Economics and Business, Elsevier, vol. 45(3-4), pages 315-329.
    4. Fudenberg, Drew & Tirole, Jean, 1995. "A Theory of Income and Dividend Smoothing Based on Incumbency Rents," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 103(1), pages 75-93, February.
    5. Santiago Fernández de Lis & Alicia Garcia-Herrero, 2010. "Dynamic provisioning: Some lessons from existing experiences," Working Papers 1014, BBVA Bank, Economic Research Department.
    6. Laeven, Luc & Majnoni, Giovanni, 2003. "Loan loss provisioning and economic slowdowns: too much, too late?," Journal of Financial Intermediation, Elsevier, vol. 12(2), pages 178-197, April.
    7. Gabriel Jiménez & Steven Ongena & José-Luis Peydró & Jesús Saurina, 2017. "Macroprudential Policy, Countercyclical Bank Capital Buffers, and Credit Supply: Evidence from the Spanish Dynamic Provisioning Experiments," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 125(6), pages 2126-2177.
    8. Jan Frait & Luboš Komárek & Zlatuše Komárková, 2011. "Monetary Policy in a Small Economy after Tsunami: A New Consensus on the Horizon?," Czech Journal of Economics and Finance (Finance a uver), Charles University Prague, Faculty of Social Sciences, vol. 61(1), pages 5-33, January.
    9. Kaddour Hadri, 2000. "Testing for stationarity in heterogeneous panel data," Econometrics Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 3(2), pages 148-161.
    10. de Lis, Santiago Fernández & Herrero, Alicia Garcia, 2010. "Dynamic Provisioning: Some Lessons from Existing Experiences," ADBI Working Papers 218, Asian Development Bank Institute.
    11. repec:cnb:ocpubc:fsr1011/1 is not listed on IDEAS
    12. Ren, Haocong, 2011. "Countercyclical financial regulation," Policy Research Working Paper Series 5823, The World Bank.
    13. Torsten Wezel & Mr. Jorge A Chan-Lau & Mr. Francesco Columba, 2012. "Dynamic Loan Loss Provisioning: Simulationson Effectiveness and Guide to Implementation," IMF Working Papers 2012/110, International Monetary Fund.
    14. Vincent Bouvatier & Laetitia Lepetit, 2006. "Banks'procyclicality behavior: does provisioning matter?," Cahiers de la Maison des Sciences Economiques bla06035, Université Panthéon-Sorbonne (Paris 1).
    15. Im, Kyung So & Pesaran, M. Hashem & Shin, Yongcheol, 2003. "Testing for unit roots in heterogeneous panels," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 115(1), pages 53-74, July.
    16. Jan Frait & Zlatuse Komarkova, 2012. "Macroprudential Policy and Its Instruments in a Small EU Economy," Research and Policy Notes 2012/03, Czech National Bank.
    17. repec:cnb:ocpubc:fsr0809/1 is not listed on IDEAS
    18. Jaime Caruana, 2005. "Monetary policy, financial stability and asset prices," Occasional Papers 0507, Banco de España.
    19. Frank Packer & Haibin Zhu, 2012. "Loan loss provisioning practices of Asian banks," BIS Working Papers 375, Bank for International Settlements.
    20. Levin, Andrew & Lin, Chien-Fu & James Chu, Chia-Shang, 2002. "Unit root tests in panel data: asymptotic and finite-sample properties," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 108(1), pages 1-24, May.
    21. Sarawan Angklomkliew & Jason George & Frank Packer, 2009. "Issues and developments in loan loss provisioning: the case of Asia," BIS Quarterly Review, Bank for International Settlements, December.
    22. Bikker, J.A. & Metzemakers, P.A.J., 2005. "Bank provisioning behaviour and procyclicality," Journal of International Financial Markets, Institutions and Money, Elsevier, vol. 15(2), pages 141-157, April.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Vasiliki MAKRI & Konstantinos PAPADATOS, 2016. "Determinants Of Loan Quality: Lessons From Greek Cooperative Banks," Review of Economic and Business Studies, Alexandru Ioan Cuza University, Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, issue 17, pages 115-140, June.
    2. Ildiko Orban & Oday Tamimi, 2020. "Accounting Model for Impairment under IFRS 9 and its Impact on Loss Allowance," European Research Studies Journal, European Research Studies Journal, vol. 0(4), pages 1259-1277.
    3. repec:cnb:ocpubv:rb12/1 is not listed on IDEAS
    4. Jacky Mallett, 2015. "Threadneedle: An Experimental Tool for the Simulation and Analysis of Fractional Reserve Banking Systems," Papers 1502.06163, arXiv.org.
    5. repec:cnb:ocpubv:rb13/2 is not listed on IDEAS
    6. repec:cnb:ocpubv:rb12/2 is not listed on IDEAS
    7. Mohd Afandi Abu Bakar* & Noormahayu Mohd Nasir & Farrah Dina Abd Razak & Nor Samsinar Kamsi & Asmalia Che Ahmad, 2018. "Provision for Bad & Doubtful Financing and Contingency Reserve Management: Assessing Resilient and Stable Islamic Banks," The Journal of Social Sciences Research, Academic Research Publishing Group, pages 621-627:6.
    8. repec:cnb:ocpubc:fsr1718/2 is not listed on IDEAS
    9. repec:cnb:ocpubv:rb11/2 is not listed on IDEAS
    10. repec:cnb:ocpubv:rb13/1 is not listed on IDEAS

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. John Bonin & Marko Kosak, 2013. "Loan/Loss Provisioning in Emerging Europe: Precautionary or Pro-Cyclical?," Wesleyan Economics Working Papers 2013-010, Wesleyan University, Department of Economics.
    2. Malgorzata Olszak & Patrycja Chodnicka-Jaworska & Iwona Kowalska & Filip Œwita³a, 2017. "The effect of capital ratio on lending: Do loan-loss provisioning practices matter?," Faculty of Management Working Paper Series 22017, University of Warsaw, Faculty of Management.
    3. Wahyoe Soedarmono & Amine Tarazi & Agusman Agusman & Gary S. Monroe & Dominic Gasbarro, 2016. "Loan Loss Provisions and Lending Behavior of Banks: Do Information Sharing and Borrower Legal Rights Matter?," Working Papers hal-01316717, HAL.
    4. Peterson K. Ozili & Erick Outa, 2017. "Bank loan loss provisions research: A review," Borsa Istanbul Review, Research and Business Development Department, Borsa Istanbul, vol. 17(3), pages 144-163, September.
    5. Soedarmono, Wahyoe & Sitorus, Djauhari & Tarazi, Amine, 2017. "Abnormal loan growth, credit information sharing and systemic risk in Asian banks," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 42(C), pages 1208-1218.
    6. Pool, Sebastiaan & de Haan, Leo & Jacobs, Jan P.A.M., 2015. "Loan loss provisioning, bank credit and the real economy," Journal of Macroeconomics, Elsevier, vol. 45(C), pages 124-136.
    7. Craigwell, Roland C & Elliott, Wayne A, 2011. "Loan loss provisioning in the commercial banking system of Barbados: practices and determinants," MPRA Paper 33426, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    8. Ebrahimi Kahou, Mahdi & Lehar, Alfred, 2017. "Macroprudential policy: A review," Journal of Financial Stability, Elsevier, vol. 29(C), pages 92-105.
    9. Ozili, Peterson K, 2017. "Bank Loan Loss Provisions, Investor Protection and the Macroeconomy," MPRA Paper 80147, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    10. Sarawan Angklomkliew & Jason George & Frank Packer, 2009. "Issues and developments in loan loss provisioning: the case of Asia," BIS Quarterly Review, Bank for International Settlements, December.
    11. Peterson K. Ozili, 2018. "Bank loan loss provisions, investor protection and the macroeconomy," International Journal of Emerging Markets, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 13(1), pages 45-65, January.
    12. de Haan, Leo & van Oordt, Maarten R.C., 2018. "Timing of banks’ loan loss provisioning during the crisis," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 87(C), pages 293-303.
    13. de Haan, Leo & van Oordt, Maarten R.C., 2018. "Timing of banks’ loan loss provisioning during the crisis," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 87(C), pages 293-303.
    14. Agénor, Pierre-Richard & Zilberman, Roy, 2015. "Loan Loss Provisioning Rules, Procyclicality, and Financial Volatility," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 61(C), pages 301-315.
    15. Bikker, J.A. & Metzemakers, P.A.J., 2005. "Bank provisioning behaviour and procyclicality," Journal of International Financial Markets, Institutions and Money, Elsevier, vol. 15(2), pages 141-157, April.
    16. Ashim Kumar Kar, 2017. "Income Smoothing, Capital Management and Provisioning Behaviour of Microfinance Institutions: A Study Using Global Panel Data," The European Journal of Development Research, Palgrave Macmillan;European Association of Development Research and Training Institutes (EADI), vol. 29(1), pages 108-126, January.
    17. Guglielmo Maria Caporale & Matteo Alessi & Stefano Di Colli & Juan Sergio Lopez, 2015. "Loan Loss Provision: Some Empirical Evidence for Italian Banks," CESifo Working Paper Series 5253, CESifo.
    18. Domikowsky, Christian & Bornemann, Sven & Duellmann, Klaus & Pfingsten, Andreas, 2014. "Loan loss provisioning and procyclicality: Evidence from an expected loss model," Discussion Papers 39/2014, Deutsche Bundesbank.
    19. Mr. Jorge A Chan-Lau, 2012. "Do Dynamic Provisions Enhance Bank Solvency and Reduce Credit Procyclicality? a Study of the Chilean Banking System," IMF Working Papers 2012/124, International Monetary Fund.
    20. Xiaofeng Hui & Aoran Zhang, 2020. "Construction and Empirical Research on the Dynamic Provisioning Model of China’s Banking Sector under the Macro-Prudential Framework," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(20), pages 1-26, October.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    procyclicality; credit risk through-the-cycle provisioning; dynamic provisioning; macroprudential policy;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • G21 - Financial Economics - - Financial Institutions and Services - - - Banks; Other Depository Institutions; Micro Finance Institutions; Mortgages
    • G28 - Financial Economics - - Financial Institutions and Services - - - Government Policy and Regulation

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:fau:fauart:v:63:y:2013:i:4:p:308-326. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Natalie Svarcova (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/icunicz.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.