To lend or to borrow on the interbank market: What matters for commercial banks in the visegrad countries

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to find out determinants which affect the commercial banks´ decision to lend on the interbank market in the Visegrad countries. The data cover the period from 2000 to 2011 The net interbank position of individual banking sectors significantly differs. Results of the probit model showed that banks´ decision to lend in interbank market is determined both by bank-specific and macroeconomic factors. Bank liquidity, capital adequacy and quality of the loan portfolio are important bank-specific factors. Growth rate of the gross domestic products, unemployment rate, financial crisis and level of interest rates matter among macroeconomic factors. Although the Visegrad countries have a lot in common, different factors determined the banks´ decision in individual countries. Moreover, the direction of influence of some factors may also differ.