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What determines banks’ customer choice? Evidence from transition countries

Author

Listed:
  • Ralph De Haas

    (European Bank for Reconstruction and Development)

  • Daniel Ferreira

    (London School of Economics)

  • Anita Taci

    (European Bank for Reconstruction and Development)

Abstract

This paper explores how bank characteristics and the institutional environment influence the composition of banks’ loan portfolios. Using a new data set based on the recent EBRD Banking Environment and Performance Survey (BEPS), which was conducted in 2005 for 220 banks in 20 transition countries, we show that bank characteristics such as ownership and size are important determinants of bank customer focus. In particular, we find that foreign banks are relatively strongly involved in mortgage lending and lending to subsidiaries of foreign companies, while lending relatively less to large domestic firms. We also find that small banks lend relatively more to SMEs than large banks do, while large banks appear to have a comparative advantage in lending to large customers. We do not find much evidence for the hypothesis that better legal credit protection changes bank portfolio composition. An exception is that banks that perceive pledge and mortgage laws to be of high quality focus more on mortgage lending.

Suggested Citation

  • Ralph De Haas & Daniel Ferreira & Anita Taci, 2007. "What determines banks’ customer choice? Evidence from transition countries," Working Papers 104, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, Office of the Chief Economist.
    • Handle: RePEc:ebd:wpaper:104
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    banking; portfolio composition;

    JEL classification:

    • F36 - International Economics - - International Finance - - - Financial Aspects of Economic Integration
    • G21 - Financial Economics - - Financial Institutions and Services - - - Banks; Other Depository Institutions; Micro Finance Institutions; Mortgages
    • K22 - Law and Economics - - Regulation and Business Law - - - Business and Securities Law
    • P27 - Political Economy and Comparative Economic Systems - - Socialist and Transition Economies - - - Performance and Prospects

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