Does bank lending channel exist in Kenya: bank level panel data analysis

bibliographic database
Line

Book

Title:	Does bank lending channel exist in Kenya: bank level panel data analysis
Authors:	Sichei, Moses Muse Njenga, Githinji
Year:	2012
Issue:	249
Pages:	54
Language:	English
Series:	AERC research paper
City of publisher:	Nairobi
Publisher:	African Economic Research Consortium
ISBN:	9789966023261
Geographic term:	Kenya
Subjects:	loans banking monetary policy
External link:	http://publication.aercafricalibrary.org/handle/123456789/188
Abstract:	The study empirically investigates bank lending channel (BLC) of monetary policy transmission in Kenya using annual bank-level panel data during the period 2001-2008. A modified IS/LM model with bank lending is used in the spirit of Bernanke and Blinder (1988), and banks are segregated on the basis of asset size, capital adequacy, liquidity and foreign ownership criteria. The main finding is that BLC exists in Kenya based on bank liquidity and capitalization. In particular, banks with less liquid balance sheets and low total capital to risk-weighted asset ratios are hit most by monetary policy. Since low liquidity and low capital banks are generally large banks, which contribute 82% of total bank credit, BLC is significant in Kenya. The existence of BLC means that monetary policy has asymmetric effects on banks and borrowers in Kenya. Further, bank credit can be used as a nominal anchor for monetary policy and a leading indicator for economic activity in Kenya.