The Risk Aversion of Banks in Emerging Credit Markets: Evidence from India

Abstract

Using bank-level data from India, for nine years (1995-1996 to 2003-2004), we examine banks' behavior in the context of emerging credit markets. Our results indicate that the credit market behavior of banks in emerging markets is determined by past trends, the diversity of the potential pool of borrowers to whom a bank can lend, and regulations regarding treatment of NPA and lending restrictions imposed by the Reserve Bank of India. Finally, we find evidence that suggest that credit disbursal by banks can be facilitated by regulatory and institutional changes that help banks mitigate the problems associated with enforcement of debt covenants and treatment of NPA on the balance sheets. On the basis of these results, we speculate on some possible policy recommendations.

Keywords: Indian banking, Development, Credit-to-deposit ratio, Risk aversion

JEL Classification: G21, O16