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BANKING ON DEPOSITS: MATURITY TRANSFORMATION WITHOUT INTEREST RATE RISK

★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Paper Summary

Paperzilla title
Banks Aren't Scared of Rate Hikes: Their Secret Weapon is Deposits!

This paper argues that maturity transformation, traditionally seen as exposing banks to interest rate risk, actually reduces it thanks to the deposit franchise. Banks' market power over deposits lets them offer rates insensitive to market changes, while operational costs are also largely fixed. This creates a natural hedge for long-term lending, stabilizing profits despite interest rate fluctuations.

Explain Like I'm Five

Scientists found that banks are surprisingly safe even when they use short-term savings for long-term loans. This is because banks don't have to change the interest they pay on deposits very often, which helps them make steady profits.

Possible Conflicts of Interest

None identified

Identified Limitations

Reliance on Accounting Measures
The reliance on accounting measures like NIM and ROA might not fully capture economic interest rate risk, as these are backward-looking and based on book values, not market values.
Causality vs. Correlation
While the paper shows correlations, it doesn't definitively prove causality between deposit franchise strength and interest rate risk hedging. Other factors could be at play.
Assumption of Perfect Matching
The model assumes perfect matching of sensitivities, which is unlikely in reality. Examining the magnitude of deviations from perfect matching and their impact would strengthen the analysis.
Limited Scope of Institutions
The study focuses on commercial banks. Expanding the analysis to other financial institutions like credit unions or savings and loans would enhance generalizability.

Rating Explanation

This paper offers a novel perspective on the relationship between maturity transformation and interest rate risk in banks. The empirical analysis is comprehensive and well-executed. However, some limitations regarding causality and model assumptions prevent a perfect score.

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Topic Hierarchy

Domain: Social Sciences
Subfield: Finance

File Information

Original Title: BANKING ON DEPOSITS: MATURITY TRANSFORMATION WITHOUT INTEREST RATE RISK
Uploaded: July 14, 2025 at 07:03 AM
Privacy: Public