Credit Default Swaps (CDS) instruments - as an indicator of credit risk - were one of the most prominent innovations in financial engineering. Very limited literature existed on the drivers of CDS spreads before the financial crisis due to the opacity of this market and its lack of transparency. First, this thesis investigates the drivers of CDS spread in the UK banking sector, by considering the role of the housing market, over the period of 2004-2011. I find that, in the long-run, house price dynamics were the main factor contributing to wider CDS spreads. In addition, I show that a rise in stock prices lead to higher availability of capital and therefore increased bank borrowing activities, which led to lower credit risk. Furthermore, findings show that with higher aggregate bank liquidity, banks tend to grant more loans to low-income consumers, thus increasing bank credit risk. In addition, in the short-run, I employ the Structural VAR by imposing short-run restrictions to identify the five shocks arising from the CDS spread, the house price index, the yield spread, the TED spread, and the FTSE100. The SVAR findings indicate that a positive shock to house prices significantly increases the CDS spread in the medium-term, in the UK banking sector. In addition, apart from its own shock, the house price shock explains a big part of the variance (nearly 20%) in CDS spread. These results remained robust even after changing the ordering of the variables in the Structural VAR. Second, considering the bank-level factors across 30 countries and 115 banks, I find most significant bank-level drivers of the CDS spread were asset quality, liquidity and the operations income ratio. As such, banks with better asset quality, high levels of liquidity and operations income ratio were subject to lower CDS spreads and credit risk. Furthermore, larger banks were found to be more risky than smaller banks. We have conducted the U-test and our results indicate the presence of a U-shape relationship between bank size and bank CDS spread. It should be noted that in order to ensure that our results are robust, we used several estimation frameworks, including the FE, RE and alternative Generalized Method of Moments (GMM) approaches, which all prove the existence of a U-shape relationship between the CDS spread and bank size. In addition, we find a threshold level of bank size, which shows that banks growing beyond this point are subject to wider CDS spreads. Finally, I consider the difference in financial systems at country-level and regulatory structures at bank-level, in a panel setting, over the period of 2004-2011. At country-level, my findings directly link financial deepening to higher credit risk, reflecting a sign of credit bubble. Besides, at bank-level, I confirm my previous findings whereby asset quality, liquidity and operations income remain significant drivers of the CDS spread.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Waikato, 2008. / Title from PDF cover (viewed May 27, 2008) Includes bibliographical references (p. 313-326)

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 2008. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Columbia University, 1937. / Published also without thesis note. Vita. Bibliography: p. [525]-543.

El presente estudio analiza cuál es el impacto que tienen los requerimientos de encaje en los créditos bancarios destinados a actividades productivas. Se tiene en consideración la particularidad del sistema financiero peruano, que se caracteriza por poseer un alto nivel de dolarización y concentración. Por ello, se busca determinar cómo interactúan los requerimientos de encaje por moneda y ciertas características de cada banco, tales como la liquidez, el tamaño del banco y la rentabilidad, ante cambios en el instrumento de política. Luego de aplicar un modelo de paneles dinámicos diferenciando por moneda se encontró la presencia de heterogeneidad en las respuestas de los bancos. Los principales resultados demostraron que los bancos más grandes y con mayor liquidez mitigan mejor los cambios del encaje en moneda extranjera en los créditos en la misma moneda. De igual manera, los bancos más líquidos y rentables son menos sensibles ante cambios en el encaje en moneda nacional. / This study analyzes the impact of reserve requirements on banking credit for productive activities. It takes into account the particularity of the Peruvian financial system, which is characterized by having a high level of dollarization and concentration. Therefore, it seeks to determine how the reserve requirements by currency and certain characteristics of banks interact with each other, such as liquidity, bank size and profitability, to change in the policy instrument. After applying a dynamic panel model differentiating by currency, the presence of heterogeneity in bank’s responses was found. The main results demonstrated that largest and most liquid banks better mitigate the changes in the reserve requirement in foreign currency in credits in the same currency. Similarly, the most liquid and profitable banks are less sensitive to changes in reserve requirement in national currency. / Trabajo de investigación

A presente pesquisa buscou verificar se a atribuição de rating por parte dos analistas de crédito é influenciada pelo grau de evidenciação contábil das empresas fechadas brasileiras e se os problemas referentes ao disclosure e qualidade das informações contábeis das empresas fechadas no Brasil afetam a captação de recursos no mercado bancário no Brasil (principal fonte) através do aumento da percepção de risco dessas empresas. Também foi verificado se o nível de conhecimento dos analistas de crédito em contabilidade impacta o processo de avaliação de risco das empresas fechadas, bem como a percepção dos analistas de crédito em relação ao papel do contador nesse processo. A pesquisa foi direcionada a um grupo de analistas que avaliam crédito de empresas fechadas, ou seja, sem obrigatoriedade de divulgação das demonstrações contábeis com faturamento entre R$ 300 milhões e R$ 1 bilhão (usualmente categorizada pelos bancos como carteira Corporate). Através da aplicação de um questionário a uma amostra intencional de analistas contendo assertivas baseadas na Escala Likert, foi possível coletar dados relativos à percepção e atitude de 64 analistas de crédito com variados níveis de experiência em avaliação de crédito. Esses dados foram analisados utilizando-se a estatística descritiva e cluster. Dentre os resultados da estatística descritiva, é válido ressaltar que os analistas recebem menos demonstrações contábeis do que gostariam, evidenciando uma situação de falta ou limitação de informações imposta pelas empresas aos analistas no processo de análise para concessão de crédito. Quanto à percepção em relação ao contador, algumas características negativas foram reforçadas pelos analistas, o que corroborou de outras pesquisas como de Hooper et al. (2009), relativas a percepção da comunidade quanto aos contadores que demonstraram no geral tenderem a ser negativas. Os analistas de crédito não perceberam o contador como profissional comunicativo e líder. Os resultados relativos a cluster evidenciaram a existência de dois grupos de analistas, cujas percepções e atitudes variaram com base no tempo de experiência em análise de crédito. Apesar de os analistas de ambos os clusters (mais experientes e menos experientes) acreditarem que sem um bom entendimento da situação financeira a análise de crédito é prejudicada, foram identificadas percepções diferentes em relação às demais assertivas. O cluster de analistas mais experientes tem maior disposição para atribuir uma pior classificação de risco às empresas fechadas em caso de acesso limitado ou acesso às demonstrações contábeis com baixa qualidade informacional. Através da correlação de Spearman foi possível verificar que os analistas mais experientes dão mais importância ao conhecimento em contabilidade e à utilização das demonstrações contábeis no entendimento da situação financeira das empresas. Válido ressaltar que esses analistas também possuem maior nível de conhecimento em contabilidade (correlação positiva entre tempo de experiência e acertos nas questões contábeis). Também foi possível verificar que os analistas de crédito mais experientes possuem maior disposição em premiar as empresas fechadas que têm melhor grau de evidenciação contábil em relação a outras, com a atribuição de melhores ratings (upgrade ou seja, arbitrariamente o analista atribui uma classificação de risco melhor). Essa disposição aumenta de forma significativa no caso das demonstrações contábeis serem submetidas aos auditores independentes, uma vez que a auditoria reforça a idéia de aumento da confiabilidade e qualidade das informações prestadas no processo de crédito. / The purpose of this research is to examine whether the assignment of ratings by credit analysts is influenced by the level of accounting disclosure of in Brazil and whether the problems concerning the disclosure and quality of accounting information of private firms in Brazil affect fundraising in banking market in Brazil (main source) by increasing the risk perception of these companies. It had been also verified whether the level of accounting knowledge of credit analysts impacts the process of risk assessment of private firms as well as the perception of credit analysts on the role of the accountant in the process. Study participants are a group of analysts who evaluate credit of private firms (no mandatory disclosure of financial statements) with revenues between $ 300 million and $ 1 billion (usually classified by banks as corporate). By applying a questionnaire to a purposive sample of analysts with varying levels of experience in credit assessment containing assertions based on Likert scale was possible to collect data on the perception and attitude of 64 credit analysts. These data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and cluster. Among the results of descriptive statistics, analysts obtain less financial reports than they would like to obtain, indicating a situation of lack or limitation of information imposed by companies to analysts in the credit process. Regarding the perception in relation to accountant some negative characteristics were reinforced by analysts, which corroborated with other researches as Hooper et al. (2009). Credit analysts had not perceived accountant as communicative and leader professional. The results for cluster presented the existence of two groups of analysts, whose perceptions and attitudes vary based on length of experience in credit analysis. Although analysts of both clusters (more experienced and less experienced) believe that credit analysis is impaired without a good understanding of financial report, it was identified different perceptions in relation to other claims. The cluster of more experienced analysts have greater willingness to assign a worst risk rating for private firms in case of limited access or access to the financial statements with low informational quality. According to Spearman correlation, more experienced analysts provide more importance to knowledge in accounting and the use of financial statements in understanding the financial situation of companies. Its worth to mention that these analysts also have a higher level of knowledge in accounting (positive correlation between length of experience and success in the accounting issues). It was also found that the most experienced credit analysts are more disposed to assign better risk rating to private firms (upgrade) with higher level of accounting disclosure in relation to others. This arrangement significantly increases if the financial statements are submitted to the independent auditors, since the audit reinforces the idea of increasing the reliability and quality of information provided in the credit process.

A presente pesquisa buscou verificar se a atribuição de rating por parte dos analistas de crédito é influenciada pelo grau de evidenciação contábil das empresas fechadas brasileiras e se os problemas referentes ao disclosure e qualidade das informações contábeis das empresas fechadas no Brasil afetam a captação de recursos no mercado bancário no Brasil (principal fonte) através do aumento da percepção de risco dessas empresas. Também foi verificado se o nível de conhecimento dos analistas de crédito em contabilidade impacta o processo de avaliação de risco das empresas fechadas, bem como a percepção dos analistas de crédito em relação ao papel do contador nesse processo. A pesquisa foi direcionada a um grupo de analistas que avaliam crédito de empresas fechadas, ou seja, sem obrigatoriedade de divulgação das demonstrações contábeis com faturamento entre R$ 300 milhões e R$ 1 bilhão (usualmente categorizada pelos bancos como carteira Corporate). Através da aplicação de um questionário a uma amostra intencional de analistas contendo assertivas baseadas na Escala Likert, foi possível coletar dados relativos à percepção e atitude de 64 analistas de crédito com variados níveis de experiência em avaliação de crédito. Esses dados foram analisados utilizando-se a estatística descritiva e cluster. Dentre os resultados da estatística descritiva, é válido ressaltar que os analistas recebem menos demonstrações contábeis do que gostariam, evidenciando uma situação de falta ou limitação de informações imposta pelas empresas aos analistas no processo de análise para concessão de crédito. Quanto à percepção em relação ao contador, algumas características negativas foram reforçadas pelos analistas, o que corroborou de outras pesquisas como de Hooper et al. (2009), relativas a percepção da comunidade quanto aos contadores que demonstraram no geral tenderem a ser negativas. Os analistas de crédito não perceberam o contador como profissional comunicativo e líder. Os resultados relativos a cluster evidenciaram a existência de dois grupos de analistas, cujas percepções e atitudes variaram com base no tempo de experiência em análise de crédito. Apesar de os analistas de ambos os clusters (mais experientes e menos experientes) acreditarem que sem um bom entendimento da situação financeira a análise de crédito é prejudicada, foram identificadas percepções diferentes em relação às demais assertivas. O cluster de analistas mais experientes tem maior disposição para atribuir uma pior classificação de risco às empresas fechadas em caso de acesso limitado ou acesso às demonstrações contábeis com baixa qualidade informacional. Através da correlação de Spearman foi possível verificar que os analistas mais experientes dão mais importância ao conhecimento em contabilidade e à utilização das demonstrações contábeis no entendimento da situação financeira das empresas. Válido ressaltar que esses analistas também possuem maior nível de conhecimento em contabilidade (correlação positiva entre tempo de experiência e acertos nas questões contábeis). Também foi possível verificar que os analistas de crédito mais experientes possuem maior disposição em premiar as empresas fechadas que têm melhor grau de evidenciação contábil em relação a outras, com a atribuição de melhores ratings (upgrade ou seja, arbitrariamente o analista atribui uma classificação de risco melhor). Essa disposição aumenta de forma significativa no caso das demonstrações contábeis serem submetidas aos auditores independentes, uma vez que a auditoria reforça a idéia de aumento da confiabilidade e qualidade das informações prestadas no processo de crédito. / The purpose of this research is to examine whether the assignment of ratings by credit analysts is influenced by the level of accounting disclosure of in Brazil and whether the problems concerning the disclosure and quality of accounting information of private firms in Brazil affect fundraising in banking market in Brazil (main source) by increasing the risk perception of these companies. It had been also verified whether the level of accounting knowledge of credit analysts impacts the process of risk assessment of private firms as well as the perception of credit analysts on the role of the accountant in the process. Study participants are a group of analysts who evaluate credit of private firms (no mandatory disclosure of financial statements) with revenues between $ 300 million and $ 1 billion (usually classified by banks as corporate). By applying a questionnaire to a purposive sample of analysts with varying levels of experience in credit assessment containing assertions based on Likert scale was possible to collect data on the perception and attitude of 64 credit analysts. These data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and cluster. Among the results of descriptive statistics, analysts obtain less financial reports than they would like to obtain, indicating a situation of lack or limitation of information imposed by companies to analysts in the credit process. Regarding the perception in relation to accountant some negative characteristics were reinforced by analysts, which corroborated with other researches as Hooper et al. (2009). Credit analysts had not perceived accountant as communicative and leader professional. The results for cluster presented the existence of two groups of analysts, whose perceptions and attitudes vary based on length of experience in credit analysis. Although analysts of both clusters (more experienced and less experienced) believe that credit analysis is impaired without a good understanding of financial report, it was identified different perceptions in relation to other claims. The cluster of more experienced analysts have greater willingness to assign a worst risk rating for private firms in case of limited access or access to the financial statements with low informational quality. According to Spearman correlation, more experienced analysts provide more importance to knowledge in accounting and the use of financial statements in understanding the financial situation of companies. Its worth to mention that these analysts also have a higher level of knowledge in accounting (positive correlation between length of experience and success in the accounting issues). It was also found that the most experienced credit analysts are more disposed to assign better risk rating to private firms (upgrade) with higher level of accounting disclosure in relation to others. This arrangement significantly increases if the financial statements are submitted to the independent auditors, since the audit reinforces the idea of increasing the reliability and quality of information provided in the credit process.

This thesis has two aims; to explore the economic notions of trust to develop a coherent understanding of trust within economics and to apply this understanding to the operation of money and banking. There has been a recent explosion of work about trust within economics but little consensus. This thesis explores this body of work by first developing a framework based on the different perceptions of the work of Adam Smith. The framework argues that the academic discipline of economics can be understood as mirroring the discussions of the work of Adam Smith. The Academic discipline of economics can be seen as comprising of approaches that only consider behaviour as relating to self-interested and those approaches that have adopted a stance that includes both self-interest and social, organic behaviour. The beginning of this thesis explores the notions of trust offered by Behavioural Game Theory and Institutional Economics and argues that the notions of trust developed using the institutional framework offer a richer conceptualisation and are more widely applicable to other areas addressed by economics. This concludes by developing a theory of trust in the institutional tradition based on the work of Simmel and draws a distinction between trust as applied to agency and confidence applied to structure. After drawing a distinction between trust and confidence based on agency and structure, this thesis then uses this theory to address the understanding of the operation of money and then banking. Money, or more specifically the operation of money as influencing behaviour, can be understood as being a complex institution with both agency and structural elements allowing a coherent understanding of money and trust. The same can be said of trust and banking, but a very different model develops as banks are organisations rather than complex institutions. This thesis concludes by considering the current financial crisis and the policy responses using the trust and confidence framework. Trust has been an important concept for money and banking, but without a satisfactory framework for analysis. The contribution of this thesis is to have developed a coherent framework for analysing trust, and applying it to money and banking.

Thesis (M.B.A.)--University of Hong Kong, 1996. / Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of California, Davis, 2002. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves [107]-114).