Małgorzata Pawłowska

Monetary Transmission in Poland: Some Evidence on Interest Rate and Credit Channels

In the paper we show the macroeconomic effects of a monetary policy shock using both recursive and non-recursive SVAR decomposition. We find that the responsiveness of the CPI index and output in Poland is smaller and slower than in the euro zone. Using panel data we check how bank-specific characteristics affect operation of the lending channel. In contrast to the results for the euro area the degree of liquidity of an average bank seems not to work in a way predicted by the literature. Credit channel seems to operate rather through the degree of capitalisation and bank’s size. A plausible reason is the structural overliquidity of the banking sector. On the other hand, the pass-through from the market interest rates to the loan and deposit rates is in general not slower than in the euro zone.

Competition, Concentration and Foreign Capital in the Polish Banking Sector (Prior and During the Financial Crisis)

The aim of the study is to estimate the level of competition and concentration in the Polish banking sector in 1997-2009 (prior the financial crisis and during the crisis). In this paper the Panzar and Rosse model (P-R) and the Lerner index (LI) have been used for the evaluation of competition. Concentration in the Polish banking industry was analysed by using concentration indices (k bank concentration ratios (CR5) and the Herfindahl-Hirschman indices (HHI)). Empirical analysis shows that the degree of competition in the Polish banking market in the period between 1997-2007 followed a slight upward trend. Results demonstrated also a slight decrease in competition in 2008-2009, caused by financial crisis. This results are confirmed by the Panzar and Rosse model (P-R) and the Lerner index (LI). The same channels (prior the financial and during the crisis) which had an impact on changes in the competition of banking sectors in the euro zone countries, had an impact on the Polish banking sector due to the involvement of the capital from the euro zone. It might also mean that that increase of foreign participation stimulated competitive pressures. Furthermore, foreign capital was positively correlated with concentration indices.

International Transmission of Liquidity Shocks Between Parent Banks and Their Affiliates: The Host Country Perspective

In this study we analyze how funding liquidity shocks affecting large international banks were transmitted to Polish subsidiaries and branches of these banks in recent years. We investigate differences in the effects of liquidity shocks on banks owned by both Polish and foreign institutions. All Polish banks reacted to liquidity shocks after Lehman Brothers failure; however, only Polish subsidiaries and branches of foreign parent banks adjusted their funding after liquidity shocks had taken place during the sovereign debt crisis of the Eurozone. Mortgage lending in foreign currencies was also affected by liquidity shocks during the crisis. Our results suggest that the intragroup links between banking institutions can serve both as an important channel for international transmission of liquidity shocks and as a stabilizing mechanism during liquidity crises.

Changes in the size and structure of the European Union banking sector-the role of competition between banks

The aim of this paper is to present the changes in the banking sectors of European Union (EU) countries both before the last global financial crisis and during the crisis, with particular emphasis on the change in concentration and competition, in an attempt to determine the relationship between competition, concentration, and risk-taking by banks. This paper also addresses the current problems in the banking sector of the EU (i.e., banks are too-big-to-fail (TBTF)), and attempts to solving these problems within the framework of regulatory initiatives. The empirical results based on panel data analysis find that increasing the concentration and size of the banking sectors within EU-27 from the period 2006-2010 had a negative impact on financial stability. The results for competition are unambiguous, as competition had a positive impact on financial stability, mainly within the EU-12 banking sectors.

International Banking and Bank Performance : The Case of Poland

The aim of this study is to examine differences in the determinants of profitability between domestic and foreign banks in Poland during the global financial crisis and the eurozone debt crisis. Empirical results based on panel data sets containing both micro-level and macro-level data provided the evidence of differences in the determinants of performance between domestic and foreign banks, and also between foreign subsidiaries and foreign institutions’ branches, i.e. foreign currency loans were profitable mainly for foreign banks’ subsidiaries. Furthermore, this paper found a positive correlation between the context of parent banks and the profitability of their affiliates mainly during the global financial crisis.

The Role of Competitive Framework for Sound Banking Sector in the EU-15 and the EU-12

The aim of this chapter is to present the role of market structure and competitive framework in the EU banking sector, with particular emphasis on the change in concentration and competition, in an attempt to determine the relationship between size and competition and risk-taking by banks. The empirical results based on panel data analysis find that the banking sectors with EU-27 are not homogeneous and find asymmetry between performance of EU-15 and EU-12 banking sectors. In fact, we have obtained different results concerning the impact of competition and size on financial stability for EU-15 banks (i.e., large banking sectors) and for EU-12 (i.e., small banking sectors).

The Impact of Market Structure and the Business Cycle on Bank Profitability: The Role of Foreign Ownership. The Case of Poland

The aim of this study is to examine the impact of banking-sector structure and macroeconomic changes on bank profitability in the Polish banking sector over the past fifteen years (i.e., prior to and during the global financial crisis of 2008). The model developed in this paper incorporates the Structure-Conduct-Performance (SCP) hypothesis, as well as the Relative Market Power (RMP) hypothesis created by Smirlock (1985). Furthermore, this paper also examines the overall effect of financial structure and macroeconomic conditions to determine whether financial development and business cycles affect the profit of Polish banks. Finally, t his paper tests the impact of foreign capital on the profitability of Polish banks and attempts to determine if there is a link between the context of the parent banks and the profitability of their affiliates. Empirical results based on two panel data sets describing both micro-level and the macro-level data are ambiguous, and find evidence of the RMP hypothesis, as well as the traditional SCP, in the Polish banking sector. This paper also finds that increased foreign ownership and intermediation have a positive effect on bank profitability. Furthermore, this paper finds a positive correlation between the context of parent banks and the profitability of their affiliates. Also, the profitability of commercial banks in Poland are contingent upon the business cycle.

On Competition in the Banking Sector in Poland and Europe Before and During the Crisis

In the past decades, the banking sector has come to be known in literature as the banking industry as it was geared to increasing profits, banks were growing, and banking products developed dynamically. It was believed that competition in the banking sector makes banks more efficient and stimulates financial innovation opening new markets. The financial crisis of 2007-2008 has sparked the interest of researchers and politicians in competition in the banking sector and its impact on the stability of the financial sector and overall economic growth. However, researchers cannot agree whether more competition improves or hinders stability. The paper is comprised of three sections and a summary. The first section discusses the concept of competition in the banking sector as well as measures of competition. The second section is a review of literature on competition in the banking sector and its determinants. The third section presents the results of research on competition in the EU, including my own research as well as other research. The paper concludes with a short summary.

The Impact of Foreign Capital on Competition and Concentration in the Polish Banking Sector

Competition between banks is a subject of interest for bank management, financial markets, bank regulators and academics. This interest is driven by increasing consolidation within the banking sector, changes in production technology and regulation. And the recent financial crisis reignited the interests of policymakers and academics in assessing bank competition, as increases in competition and financial innovation within the markets contributed to the turmoil.

What Drives the Bank–Firm Relationship? A Case Study of the Polish Credit Market

Abstract Purpose The aim of this study is to understand the determinants of relationship between banks and nonfinancial corporations within Poland (which are considered relationship banking from this point onward). Design/methodology/approach The main sources of data used in the study are the large credit database (credit register of the National Bank of Poland (NBP)) and other aggregated data, including data from the Warsaw Stock Exchange and the NBP. Econometric panel logit methods have been used to test how different factors affect bank–firm relationships. Three main groups of factors have been investigated: the characteristics of the firm (i.e., size, ownership type, and RD the characteristics of the financial sector (i.e., competition in the banking sector); and macroeconomic conditions. Findings The findings demonstrate that Polish firms readily establish single-bank relationships, and firms with the highest quality of credit portfolios borrow often from multiple creditors. All conducted estimations demonstrated that the relationship between financing from a single bank and from foreign capital had a positive sign. Also, a decrease in concentration in the banking sector, which may be identified with an increase in competition, supports the establishment of relationship banking. Research limitations/implications The study was performed using the data from large exposure database collected for supervisory purposes. Exposures (credits, derivatives, etc.) larger than 500 thousand PLN (approx. 120 thousand EUR) were only considered. Future research on bank–firm relationships should focus on the influence of financing costs, maintaining relationships when the borrower is in a difficult financial position, and other unique features of banks using the strategy of relationship financing. Practical implications The understanding of the characteristics of bank–firm relationships can help to improve banking practice and supervisory policy in Poland. Originality/value This study makes a noticeable contribution to the understanding of the banking sector and its relationships with nonfinancial corporations in Poland. It is the first empirical study on such a large sample of panel data from Polish banking sector and industries, too.