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Bank profitability and risk†taking under low interest rates

Author

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  • Jacob A. Bikker
  • Tobias M. Vervliet

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to investigate the impact of the unusually low interest rate environment on the soundness of the United States banking sector in terms of profitability and risk†taking. Using both dynamic and static modelling approaches and various estimation techniques, we find that the low interest rate environment indeed impairs bank performance and compresses net interest margins. Nonetheless, banks have been able to maintain their overall level of profits, due to lower provisioning, which in turn may endanger financial stability. Banks did not compensate for their lower interest income by expanding operations to include trading activities with a higher risk exposure.

Suggested Citation

  • Jacob A. Bikker & Tobias M. Vervliet, 2018. "Bank profitability and risk†taking under low interest rates," International Journal of Finance & Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 23(1), pages 3-18, January.
  • Handle: RePEc:wly:ijfiec:v:23:y:2018:i:1:p:3-18
    DOI: 10.1002/ijfe.1595
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    Cited by:

    1. Nimrod Segev & Sigal Ribon & Michael Kahn & Jakob Haan, 2024. "Low Interest Rates and Banks’ Interest Margins: Does Deposit Market Concentration Matter?," Journal of Financial Services Research, Springer;Western Finance Association, vol. 65(2), pages 189-218, June.
    2. Anthony Brassil, 2022. "The Consequences of Low Interest Rates for the Australian Banking Sector," RBA Annual Conference Papers acp2022-04, Reserve Bank of Australia, revised Dec 2022.
    3. Jassem Alokla & Arief Daynes & Paraskevas Pagas & Panagiotis Tzouvanas, 2023. "Solvency determinants: evidence from the Takaful insurance industry," The Geneva Papers on Risk and Insurance - Issues and Practice, Palgrave Macmillan;The Geneva Association, vol. 48(4), pages 847-871, October.
    4. Duan, Ying & Niu, Jijun, 2020. "Liquidity creation and bank profitability," The North American Journal of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 54(C).
    5. Jagjeevan Kanoujiya & Venkata Mrudula Bhimavarapu & Shailesh Rastogi, 2023. "Banks in India: A Balancing Act Between Profitability, Regulation and NPA," Vision, , vol. 27(5), pages 650-660, November.
    6. Hodula, Martin & Pfeifer, Lukáš & Janků, Jan, 2022. "The effect of structural risks on financial downturns," ESRB Working Paper Series 138, European Systemic Risk Board.
    7. Martin Hodula & Jan Janku & Lukas Pfeifer, 2021. "Interaction of Cyclical and Structural Systemic Risks: Insights from Around and After the Global Financial Crisis," Research and Policy Notes 2021/03, Czech National Bank.
    8. Ani Wilujeng Suryani & Fiki Fernando, 2024. "“Don’t Be a Bragger!”: Social Media Impression and Firm’s Financial Performance," Corporate Reputation Review, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 27(3), pages 157-171, August.
    9. Ruchir Agarwal & Miles Kimball, 2019. "Enabling Deep Negative Rates to Fight Recessions: A Guide," IMF Working Papers 2019/084, International Monetary Fund.
    10. Clement Moyo & Andrew Phiri, 2024. "The Effects of Interest Rates on Bank Risk-Taking in South Africa: Do Cyclical and Location Asymmetries Matter?," IJFS, MDPI, vol. 12(2), pages 1-16, May.
    11. Hussien Mohsen Ahmed & Sherif Ismail El-Halaby & Hebatallah Ahmed Soliman, 2022. "The consequence of the credit risk on the financial performance in light of COVID-19: Evidence from Islamic versus conventional banks across MEA region," Future Business Journal, Springer, vol. 8(1), pages 1-22, December.
    12. Matěj Maivald & Petr Teplý, 2020. "The impact of low interest rates on banks' non-performing loans," FFA Working Papers 2.002, Prague University of Economics and Business, revised 25 Feb 2020.
    13. Abayomi Oredegbe, 2022. "Competition and Banking Industry Stability: How Do BRICS and G7 Compare?," Journal of Emerging Market Finance, Institute for Financial Management and Research, vol. 21(1), pages 7-31, March.
    14. Wang, Ling, 2023. "Central bank asset purchases, banks’ risky security holdings and profitability: Macro and micro evidence from Japan and the U.S," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 87(C), pages 347-364.
    15. Whelsy Boungou, 2019. "Negative Interest Rates, Bank Profitability and Risk-taking," Working Papers hal-03456106, HAL.
    16. Bruno de Menna, 2021. "Monetary Policy, Credit Risk, and Profitability: The Influence of Relationship Lending on Cooperative Banks' Performance," Working Papers hal-03138738, HAL.
    17. Lauritzen, Jacob Bratshaug, 2022. "One size fits all? Effects of the zero lower bound on bank lending across countries," Journal of International Financial Markets, Institutions and Money, Elsevier, vol. 81(C).
    18. Goshu Desalegn & Anita Tangl & Maria Fekete-Farkas, 2022. "From Short-Term Risk to Long-Term Strategic Challenges: Reviewing the Consequences of Geopolitics and COVID-19 on Economic Performance," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(21), pages 1-22, November.
    19. Raftis, Achilleas & Karpetis, Christos & Papadamou, Stephanos & Spyromitros, Eleftherios, 2024. "Monetary winds of change: Exploring the link between policy shifts and bank profitability in developed and emerging European markets," Global Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 59(C).
    20. Pak, Olga, 2020. "Bank profitability in the Eurasian Economic Union: Do funding liquidity and systemic importance matter?," The North American Journal of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 54(C).
    21. Vijay Kumar & Sanjeev Acharya & Ly T. H. Ho, 2020. "Does Monetary Policy Influence the Profitability of Banks in New Zealand?," IJFS, MDPI, vol. 8(2), pages 1-17, June.
    22. Chen, Qianying & Katagiri, Mitsuru & Surti, Jay, 2022. "Monetary surprises and bank equity valuation with prolonged low interest rates," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 47(PA).
    23. Junttila, Juha & Nguyen, Vo Cao Sang, 2022. "Impacts of sovereign risk premium on bank profitability: Evidence from euro area," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 81(C).
    24. Nguyen, James & Parsons, Richard & Argyle, Bronson, 2021. "An examination of diversification on bank profitability and insolvency risk in 28 financially liberalized markets," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Finance, Elsevier, vol. 29(C).
    25. López-Penabad, Maria Celia & Iglesias-Casal, Ana & Silva Neto, José Fernando, 2022. "Effects of a negative interest rate policy in bank profitability and risk taking: Evidence from European banks," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 60(C).

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