In the euro area interest rates have dropped low for almost a decade now and it is anticipated to endure in the years to come. This creates challenges for banks performance, therefore this paper observes whether interest rates effect bank profitability. Further investigating whether loan growth should be an important factor to also consider in the model. We use data for 72 banks from various countries in the Eurozone for the period 2006-2016 and conduct a panel data analysis on this data. Results show that loan growth is not significant and is not a vital component to be included in the model. We find a negative significant relationship between the spread which compromises of long-term deposit rates minus the interest rate controlled by the European Central Bank. This suggests that, a decrease in interest rates can and had eroded bank profitability in the euro area.

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The thesis examines the relation of the low-interest rate environment to the banks' selected credit risk measures with a panel dataset on banks in Eurozone, Denmark, Japan, Sweden, and Switzerland covering the period 2011-2017. It employs a system GMM framework and a combination of bank-related and macroeconomic variables. This study builds on recent literature on effects of low-interest rates on banks' profitability and estimates the following three hypotheses: The potential effects of the low-interest rate on non-performing loans (NPL) ratio, risk-weighted assets (RWA) to total assets ratio, and changes in Tier 1 capital ratio. There are three main results: Firstly, the results suggest that a prolonged period of negative monetary interest rate can affect the NPL ratio and reveal a possible relationship between the 3M-interbank interest rate and NPL ratio. Thus, the thesis does not reject the first hypotheses. However, it rejects these hypotheses in case of the other two ratios. Secondly, the study finds a bank heterogeneity to be a significant determinant of the credit risk. Finally, using recent data, this thesis contributes to the literature focusing on the drivers of the NPL ratio, RWA to total assets ratio and Tier 1 capital ratio, where in case of the latter two the existing research is...

iv Abstract The current state of the prolonged low interest rate environment may pose a great threat to the soundness of the financial system both in the eurozone countries as well as in the neighboring regions, such as in countries of Central Europe due to high interconnectedness of markets. Some of the recently identified risks of the low interest rate environment are a notable pickup in mortgage lending and house prices, and deterioration of profitability among banks. We study these channels for the Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland, investigating the impact of the imported ECB monetary policy on local (hos countries) during 2004Q4-2019Q4. Our findings suggest that house prices are further driven by low interest rates, and the effect is lagged by two quarters as looser monetary conditions need time to impact our dependant variables. Furthermore, a decrease in the mortgage rate increases mortgage lending in these countries. Lastly, in our study of 27 banks during 2004-2015, we find that ROAA declines by approximately by 17.8 %, given a one percent increase in the 3-month EURIBOR. Keywords low interest rates, EURIBOR, financial soundness, GMM, residential property, mortgages Author's e-mail 71263908@fsv.cuni.cz Supervisor's e-mail Adam.gersl@gmail.com

Cette thèse étudie le secteur bancaire du Luxembourg sous trois angles différents. Elle apporte de nouveaux éléments de débat sur un secteur bancaire souvent commenté mais rarement étudié. En outre, dans chacun des trois chapitres, les impacts de la crise financière sont étudiés. Chapitre 1: Création de liquidité par les banques du Luxembourg. Ce chapitre évalue la quantité liquidité créée par les banques. Nous constatons que cette création a plus que doublé entre 1999 et 2011. Cependant, la liquidité créée a commencé à diminuer en 2009 et en 2011, elle n’était toujours pas revenu au niveau d'avant la crise. Chapitre 2: Le canal du crédit bancaire au Luxembourg. Nous trouvons un canal du crédit opérationnel qui fonctionne essentiellement via la capitalisation des banques sur base agrégée. Nous démontrons également que les banques ont préservé la disponibilité du crédit lors de la crise financière. Chapitre 3: Rentabilité bancaire au Luxembourg dans un environnement de taux bas. Nous constatons qu’à long terme, le niveau et la pente de la courbe des taux contribuent positivement à la rentabilité bancaire, par conséquent, que les taux d'intérêt actuellement bas ont un effet négatif sur la profitabilité des banques. / This dissertation studies the banking sector of Luxembourg under three different angles. It therefore contributes to provide new evidence on an often commented but rarely investigated banking industry. Furthermore, in each of the three chapters, the impacts of the financial crisis are studied. Chapter 1: Bank liquidity creation in Luxembourg. This chapter assesses how much liquidity banks in Luxembourg have created. We find that liquidity creation has more than doubled between 1999 and 2011. However, the level of liquidity created started to decrease in 2009 and in 2011, was still not back to pre-crisis level. Chapter 2: The bank lending channel in Luxembourg. We find an operative bank lending channel in Luxembourg, which works through capitalization on an aggregated basis. Regarding the financial crisis, we underlined that banks preserved the availability of credit.Chapter 3: Bank profitability in Luxembourg in a low interest rate environment. We find that, in the long-run, the level and the slope of the yield curve contribute positively to bank profitability and hence that the current low interest rates have a negative effect on banks’ profits.

Titel: OMXS30 på genomresa i en lågräntemiljö Författare: Harald Johansson & Carl Rosander Handledare: Øystein Fredriksen Bakgrund och problem: En tillgångs pris kan beskrivas som en funktion av vinsten som tillgången genererar samt hur mycket en investerare är villig att betala för en andel av den vinsten. Tidigare studier har presenterat motsägande resultat huruvida det främst är variation i multipeln eller om det är förändring i vinsttillväxten som driver aktiepriser. Från år 2010 till år 2019 har OMXS30 kännetecknats av en stark prisuppgång på 84,2 % under perioden. Författarna vill analysera om det är en multipelexpansion eller stigande vinster som har drivit prisuppgången för OMXS30, samt analysera drivande faktorer för indexets P/E-multipel. Syfte: Syftet med studien är att analysera vad som drivit prisutvecklingen av OMXS30 från år 2010 till år 2019. Studien syftar även till att analysera hur de utvalda faktorerna har påverkat P/E-multipeln på OMXS30 under denna period. Metod: I Uppsatsen appliceras ett kvantitativt och deduktivt tillvägagångssätt för att uppnå studiens syfte. Författarna har använt sig av enkla och multipla regressioner som analysmetod för att analysera de utvalda faktorernas påverkan på P/E-multipeln för OMXS30 under tidsperioder om fem och tio år från år 2010 till år 2019. Slutsats: Trots att OMXS30 visat på en stark prisuppgång har ingen betydande multipelexpansion skett eftersom vinsttillväxten utvecklats likvärdigt med priset. Räntans starka korrelation och signifikans med P/E-multipeln på OMXS30 är i linje med både teori och resultatet från tidigare studier, vilket innebär att sambandet även gäller i den lågräntemiljö som studiens tidsperiod präglats av. Även skuldsättningsgradens samband med P/E-multipeln uppvisade statistisk signifikans på 1 % under studiens tidsperiod, vilket kan ses som en ny värdedrivare att ta hänsyn till när P/E-multipeln analyseras eftersom dess frekvens i tidigare studier varit begränsad. / Background and problem: The price of an asset can be described as a function of the profit it generates, as well as how much investors are willing to pay for that profit. Prior studies have presented contradicting results regarding if it is the variation in the valuation multiple that drives stock prices,or if it is changes in the growth rate of the profits. Between 2010-2019, the Swedish stock index OMXS30 has been characterized by its strong development of 84,2 %, and the authors want to analyze if the strong development of OMXS30 has been driven by a multiple expansion or profit growth. Theauthors will also analyze value drivers of the P/E ratio for the entire index. Purpose: The purpose of the study is to analyze what has driven the price development of OMXS30 between year 2010 to year 2019. Furthermore, the study aims to analyze how the chosen value drivers have contributed to the development of the index during the chosen time period. Methodology: The study applies a quantitative and deductive approach to fulfill the purpose of the study. The authors have applied both simple and multiple regressions as method of analysis during periods of five and ten years, in order to analyze how the chosen value drivers impacts the P/E ratio of the OMXS30. Conclusion:The strong price development of the OMXS30 has not resulted in a significant multiple expansion,which can be derived to the fact the profit growth has had an equally strong development on theindex. The statistically significant and highly correlated relationship between the interest rate andthe P/E ratio of the OMXS30 is in line with both theory and previous studies on the topic, which implies that the relationship remains true in the low interest environment that has been present during the chosen time period. The relationship between the debt to equity ratio and the P/E ratiowas statistically significant at 1 % during the chosen time period, which makes the ratio a new value driver to consider when the P/E ratio is analyzed, especially since the mentioning of the debt to equity ratio as a value driver for the P/E ratio has been limited in both theory and previous studies.

From time to time the court delivers a judgment that has a ripple effect beyond what was expected, resulting in estate planners reconsidering their planning strategies. Such a judgment was the judgment delivered by the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) in the case of the Commissioner for the South African Revenue Services v Brummeria Renaissance 2007 6 SA 601 (SCA) (Brummeria case). In this case the interest-free loan and the right to use loan capital free of any interest obligation were under scrutiny. The SCA had to rule on whether or not this right had a determinable value and whether or not this value could be taxable in the hands of the borrower. The SCA ruled that the right under an interest-free loan should be included in the gross income of the borrower. Since estate planning often involves the use of an interest-free loan, as estate planning tool, to remove a growth asset from the estate of a planner, it could not be generally accepted any more that the granting of such loan would not have any tax implications. Although the interest-free loans used in the Brummeria case, did not relate to an estate planning exercise, the ruling resulted in much speculation regarding the future of the interest-free loan as estate planning tool. SARS tried to ease the uncertainty by issuing Interpretation Note 58, but there is still uncertainty to some extent. The focus of this mini-dissertation is to explain when and to what extend the provisions of the Income Tax Act 58 of 1962 (ITA) as well as the Estate Duty Act 45 of 1955 (EDA) will apply to the granting of an interest-free loan as part of an estate planning exercise. The provisions of the gross income definition, sections 7 and 64E, the provisions of donations tax as well as paragraph 12(5) and 12A of the Eighth Schedule to the ITA, were explored. Sections 3(3) and 3(5) of the EDA are discussed with the use of these loans for estate planning in mind. The question whether or not the interest-free loan is still a useful estate planning tool is also answered. / LLM (Estate Law), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

From time to time the court delivers a judgment that has a ripple effect beyond what was expected, resulting in estate planners reconsidering their planning strategies. Such a judgment was the judgment delivered by the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) in the case of the Commissioner for the South African Revenue Services v Brummeria Renaissance 2007 6 SA 601 (SCA) (Brummeria case). In this case the interest-free loan and the right to use loan capital free of any interest obligation were under scrutiny. The SCA had to rule on whether or not this right had a determinable value and whether or not this value could be taxable in the hands of the borrower. The SCA ruled that the right under an interest-free loan should be included in the gross income of the borrower. Since estate planning often involves the use of an interest-free loan, as estate planning tool, to remove a growth asset from the estate of a planner, it could not be generally accepted any more that the granting of such loan would not have any tax implications. Although the interest-free loans used in the Brummeria case, did not relate to an estate planning exercise, the ruling resulted in much speculation regarding the future of the interest-free loan as estate planning tool. SARS tried to ease the uncertainty by issuing Interpretation Note 58, but there is still uncertainty to some extent. The focus of this mini-dissertation is to explain when and to what extend the provisions of the Income Tax Act 58 of 1962 (ITA) as well as the Estate Duty Act 45 of 1955 (EDA) will apply to the granting of an interest-free loan as part of an estate planning exercise. The provisions of the gross income definition, sections 7 and 64E, the provisions of donations tax as well as paragraph 12(5) and 12A of the Eighth Schedule to the ITA, were explored. Sections 3(3) and 3(5) of the EDA are discussed with the use of these loans for estate planning in mind. The question whether or not the interest-free loan is still a useful estate planning tool is also answered. / LLM (Estate Law), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015