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Working Paper
Adverse selection and competing deposit insurance systems in pre-depression Texas
In 1910, Texas instituted a highly unique deposit insurance program for its state chartered banks consisting of two separate plans: the depositors guaranty fund, similar in operation to the deposit insurance schemes adopted in several other states; and the depositors bond security system, which required the procurement of a privately issued insurance policy. We hypothesize that the provision of a choice in funds led to risk-sorting among the banks, with the relatively conservative institutions opting for the comparatively rigorous bond security system. Employing a probit model with ...
Journal Article
Between a rock and a hard place: the CRA-safety and soundness pinch
A statistical model of regulatory exam ratings provides evidence of conflict between Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) objectives, on one side, and safety and soundness standards, on the other. In his analysis of supervisory goals, Jeff Gunther finds that concentrating bank assets in loans and managing capital at relatively low levels tend to help CRA ratings while hurting CAMEL ratings. Also, banks with financial problems are more likely to receive substandard CRA ratings, even though a shift in resources away from CRA objectives may be necessary to facilitate financial recovery. These ...
Journal Article
Taming the credit cycle by limiting high-risk lending
Reformers should review the loan-to-value guidelines for real estate lending, toughen them up where necessary and, most important, put the force of law behind them.
Journal Article
Small banks' competitors loom large
Working Paper
Geographic liberalization and the accessibility of banking services in rural areas
This study assesses the degree to which the liberalization of geographic banking restrictions has lived up to its promise of enhancing service accessibility in rural areas. The empirical framework is distinguished by a focus on changes in accessibility, as opposed to levels. While previous research has produced mixed results on the benefits of greater geographic powers for service accessibility in rural communities, the results reported here point unambiguously to a positive relationship between expansion opportunities and accessibility. Both OLS and ordinallevel probit regressions indicate ...
Report
Small Banks Squeezed
With consistent loan quality and resilient lending activity, community banks?and the traditional banking model they represent?can be a much-needed force for financial stability. Unfortunately, they?ve struggled to maintain market share, partly as a result of unintended consequences of public policy.
Journal Article
Financiers of the world, disunite
When large in number, intermediaries—even those reputed for high risk and correlated strategies—exhibit substantial diversity that adds an important element of stability to the financial system.