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Financial Sector Debt Bias

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  • Ms. Oana Luca
  • Alexander F. Tieman

Abstract

Most tax systems create a tax bias toward debt finance. Such debt bias increases leverage and may negatively affect financial stability. This paper models and estimates debt bias in the financial sector, and present novel estimates for investment banks and non-bank financial intermediaries such as finance and insurance companies. We find debt bias to be pervasive, explaining as much as 10 percent of total leverage for regular banks and 20 percent for investment banks, with the effects most pronounced before the global financial crisis. Going forward, debt bias is likely to once again gain prominence as a key driver of leverage decisions, underscoring the importance of policy reform at this juncture.

Suggested Citation

  • Ms. Oana Luca & Alexander F. Tieman, 2016. "Financial Sector Debt Bias," IMF Working Papers 2016/217, International Monetary Fund.
    • Handle: RePEc:imf:imfwpa:2016/217
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    Cited by:

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    3. Borsuk, Marcin & Kowalewski, Oskar & Qi, Jianping, 2023. "The dark side of bank taxes," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 157(C).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    WP; oil price; interest rate; Oil prices; equity prices; dividends; economic growth; oil supply; global oil markets; international business cycle.; equity price; standard error band; term interest rate; price relationship; price fall; oil price shock; oil price coefficient; Oil; Oil production; Stocks; Long term interest rates; Global;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • G21 - Financial Economics - - Financial Institutions and Services - - - Banks; Other Depository Institutions; Micro Finance Institutions; Mortgages
    • G32 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - Financing Policy; Financial Risk and Risk Management; Capital and Ownership Structure; Value of Firms; Goodwill
    • H25 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - Business Taxes and Subsidies

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