March 1998 Differences in interest margins reflect differences in bank characteristics, macroeconomic conditions, existing financial structure and taxation, regulation, and other institutional factors. Using bank data for 80 countries for 1988-95, Demirgüç-Kunt and Huizinga show that differences in interest margins and bank profitability reflect various determinants: * Bank characteristics. * Macroeconomic conditions. * Explicit and implicit bank taxes. * Regulation of deposit insurance. * General financial structure. * Several underlying legal and institutional indicators. Controlling for differences in bank activity, leverage, and the macroeconomic environment, they find (among other things) that: * Banks in countries with a more competitive banking sector-where banking assets constitute a larger share of GDP-have smaller margins and are less profitable. The bank concentration ratio also affects bank profitability; larger banks tend to have higher margins. * Well-capitalized banks have higher net interest margins and are more profitable. This is consistent with the fact that banks with higher capital ratios have a lower cost of funding because of lower prospective bankruptcy costs. * Differences in a bank's activity mix affect spread and profitability. Banks with relatively high noninterest-earning assets are less profitable. Also, banks that rely largely on deposits for their funding are less profitable, as deposits require more branching and other expenses. Similarly, variations in overhead and other operating costs are reflected in variations in bank interest margins, as banks pass their operating costs (including the corporate tax burden) on to their depositors and lenders. * In developing countries foreign banks have greater margins and profits than domestic banks. In industrial countries, the opposite is true. * Macroeconomic factors also explain variation in interest margins. Inflation is associated with higher realized interest margins and greater profitability. Inflation brings higher costs-more transactions and generally more extensive branch networks-and also more income from bank float. Bank income increases more with inflation than bank costs do. * There is evidence that the corporate tax burden is fully passed on to bank customers in poor and rich countries alike. * Legal and institutional differences matter. Indicators of better contract enforcement, efficiency in the legal system, and lack of corruption are associated with lower realized interest margins and lower profitability. This paper-a product of the Development Research Group-is part of a larger effort in the group to study bank efficiency.

Traditional theory suggests that more profitable banks should have lower risk-taking incentives. Then why did many profitable banks choose to invest in untested financial instruments before the crisis, realizing significant losses? We attempt to reconcile theory and evidence. In our setup, banks are endowed with a fixed core business. They take risk by levering up to engage in risky ‘side activities’(such as market-based investments) alongside the core business. A more profitable core business allows a bank to borrow more and take side risks on a larger scale, offsetting lower incentives to take risk of given size. Consequently, more profitable banks may have higher risk-taking incentives. The framework is consistent with cross-sectional patterns of bank risk-taking in the run up to the recent financial crisis.

A practical primer to the modern banking operation Introduction to Banking, Second Edition is a comprehensive and jargon-free guide to the banking operation. Written at the foundational level, this book provides a broad overview of banking to give you an all-around understanding that allows you to put your specialty work into context within the larger picture of your organization. With a specific focus on risk components, this second edition covers all key elements with new chapters on reputational risk, credit risk, stress testing and customer service, including an updated chapter on sustainability. Practical material includes important topics such as the yield curve, trading and hedging, asset liability management, loan origination, product marketing, reputational risk and regulatory capital. This book gives you the context you need to understand how modern banks are run, and the key points operation at all levels. Learn the critical elements of a well-structured banking operation Examine the risk components inherent in banking Understand operational topics including sustainability and stress testing Explore service-end areas including product marketing and customer service Banks continue to be the heart of the modern economy, despite the global financial crisis —they have however become more complex. Multiple layers and a myriad of functions contribute to the running of today's banks, and it's critical for new and aspiring bankers to understand the full breadth of the operation and where their work fits in. Introduction to Banking, Second Edition provides an accessible yet complete primer, with emphasis on the areas that have become central to sustainable banking operation.

Margin Trading from A to Z offers a step-by-step explanation of the mechanics of the margin account. Filled with in-depth insights and expert advice, this book uses a hands-on approach to show how a Regulation T Margin Call is arrived at; how it may be answered; and how an account looks once a call is issued and after the call is met. Other items covered by this detailed guide include minimum maintenance requirements, short selling, memorandum accounts, options, hedge funds, and portfolio margining. The book includes quiz questions and a comprehensive exam.

A Tea Reader contains a selection of stories that cover the spectrum of life. This anthology shares the ways that tea has changed lives through personal, intimate stories. Read of deep family moments, conquered heartbreak, and peace found in the face of loss. A Tea Reader includes stories from all types of tea people: people brought up in the tea tradition, those newly discovering it, classic writings from long-ago tea lovers and those making tea a career. Together these tales create a new image of a tea drinker. They show that tea is not simply something you drink, but it also provides quiet moments for making important decisions, a catalyst for conversation, and the energy we sometimes need to operate in our lives. The stories found in A Tea Reader cover the spectrum of life, such as the development of new friendships, beginning new careers, taking dream journeys, and essentially sharing the deep moments of life with friends and families. Whether you are a tea lover or not, here you will discover stories that speak to you and inspire you. Sit down, grab a cup, and read on.

More than two years ago the European Central Bank (ECB) adopted a negative interest rate policy (NIRP) to achieve its price stability objective. Negative interest rates have so far supported easier financial conditions and contributed to a modest expansion in credit, demonstrating that the zero lower bound is less binding than previously thought. However, interest rate cuts also weigh on bank profitability. Substantial rate cuts may at some point outweigh the benefits from higher asset values and stronger aggregate demand. Further monetary accommodation may need to rely more on credit easing and an expansion of the ECB’s balance sheet rather than substantial additional reductions in the policy rate.

Tells how to avoid investment fads, explains the basic concepts of value-investment philosophy, and offers advice on portfolio management

Unternehmen in allen Branchen haben mit Billig-Konkurrenten zu kämpfen. Um jedoch eine wirtschaftlich verträgliche Gewinnspanne zu erhalten, können Unternehmen ihre Preise nicht endlos senken, sondern müssen einen Weg finden, ihr Produkt trotz des höheren Preises zu verkaufen. Dieses Buch ist ein praktischer Ratgeber, der Ihnen mit vielen cleveren Verkaufstaktiken zeigt, wie Sie Ihre Billig-Konkurrenten umsatzmäßig schlagen können. Er erklärt u.a., warum der Preis nicht das allein entscheidende Kriterium für einen Kunden ist, ein bestimmtes Produkt zu kaufen; wie man ein gutes Customer Service Programm aufbaut; wie man die Argumente von Kunden entkräftet, die sich für Billig-Produkte entscheiden und wie man einen angemessenen Preis für das jeweilige Produkt festsetzt. Mit einer Vielzahl von Beispielen und Situationen aus der Praxis, die Verkäufern anschaulich zeigen, wie sie jedes Produkt - unabhängig vom Preis - erfolgreich verkaufen können.