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In this paper we investigate the analytical and empirical linkages between firms? capital investment behavior and financial frictions arising from asymmetric information, proxied by firms? liquidity and degree of uncertainty. Measures of intrinsic and extrinsic uncertainty are derived from firms? daily stock returns and S&P 500 index returns along with a CAPM-based risk measure. We employ a panel of U.S. manufacturing firm data obtained from COMPUSTAT over the 1984?2003 period. Financial frictions captured by interactions between firms? cash flow and both intrinsic and CAPM-based measures of uncertainty have a significant negative impact on firms? investment spending, while extrinsic uncertainty has a positive impact.

This paper analyzes the causal relationship between institutional diversity in domestic banking sectors and bank stability. We use a large bank- and country-level unbalanced panel data set covering the EU member states' banking sectors between 1998 and 2014. Constructing two distinct indicators for measuring institutional diversity, we find that a high degree of institutional diversity in the domestic banking sector positively affects bank stability. The positive relationship between domestic institutional diversity and bank stability is stronger in times of crisis, providing evidence that diversity can help to absorb both financial and real shocks. In particular, greater institutional diversity smooths bank earnings risk in times of crisis. Our results are economically meaningful and offer important insights to the ongoing economic policy debate on how to reshape the architecture of the banking sector.

AbstractWe employ a nonlinear, nonparametric method to model the stochastic behavior of changes in the 90‐day U.S. T‐bill rate. The estimation technique is locally weighted regression (LWR), a nearest‐neighbor method, and the forecasting criteria are the root mean square error (RMSE) and mean absolute deviation (MAD) measures. We compare the forecasting performance of the nonparametric fit to the performance of two benchmark linear models: an autoregressive model and a random‐walk‐with‐drift model. The nonparametric fit results in significant improvements in forecasting accuracy as compared to benchmark linear models both in‐sample and out‐of‐sample, thus establishing the presence of substantial nonlinear mean predictability in the 90‐day T‐bill rate.

Hypothesizing that regional economic development is associated with backward & forward linkages in regional economies, input-output information is drawn on to measure the detail of the industrial structure of southern Italy & the linkages between different industrial sectors. The linkage measures are based on the concept of entropy applied to data from a multiregional input-output system for 5 separate years between 1959 & 1975. The results show that levels of gross regional product & gross regional product per capita were higher in regions & years with diverse backward linkage measures. 6 Tables, 42 References. Adapted from the source document.

AbstractThis paper empirically investigates the link between political patronage and bank performance for Ukraine during 2003Q3–2005Q2. We find significant differences between politically affiliated and non‐affiliated banks. The data suggest that affiliated banks have significantly lower interest rate margins and increase their capitalization. Furthermore, we show that the level of activity of affiliated deputies in parliament has a positive (negative) impact on banks' capitalization ratio (interest rate margin). Our findings imply, in line with the related literature, that political affiliation has important effects on banks' behaviour.

Verflechtungen zwischen Banken und Politikern werden hier am Beispiel ukrainischer Geschäftsbanken analysiert. Es zeigt sich, dass die "Nähe zur Politik" tendenziell einen dämpfenden Effekt auf die Entwicklung der Zinsmargen und einen positiven Effekt auf die Veränderung der Eigenkapitalquote der Banken hat. Bei der immer noch vergleichsweise niedrigen Kapitalisierung "politik- naher" Banken - sie liegt weit unter dem Niveau unabhängiger Banken - kann dieser Befund auch mit dem vermehrten Eintritt ausländischer Banken in den ukrainischen Markt zu tun haben. Es gibt Hinweise darauf, dass ausländische Investoren vor allem an politiknahen Banken interessiert sind. Wird die niedrige Eigenkapitalquote aber von ausländischen Investoren als Hindernis empfunden, erwächst für diesen Bankentyp möglicherweise ein starker Anreiz, die Eigenkapitaldecke zu erhöhen, um sich für Übernahmen attraktiv zu machen.

AbstractThis paper empirically investigates whether changes in macroeconomic volatility affect the efficient allocation of non‐financial firms' liquid assets. We argue that higher uncertainty will hamper managers' ability to accurately predict firm‐specific information and induce them to implement similar cash management policies. Contrarily, when the macroeconomic environment becomes more tranquil, each manager will have the latitude to behave more idiosyncratically as she can adjust liquid assets based on the specific requirements of the firm, bringing about a more efficient allocation of liquid assets. Our empirical analysis provides support for these predictions.