Independence in bank governance structure: Empirical evidence of effects on bank risk and performance

We investigate how different governance arrangements affect risk and return in banks. Using a new data set for UK banks over the period 2003–2012, we employ a simultaneous equations framework to control for the reciprocal relationship between risk and return. We show that separation of the roles of CEO and Chairman increases bank risk without causing a concurrent increase in return. We also find that oversight by a Remuneration Committee and Non-Executive Directors (NEDs) lowers the probability of bank failure, indicating that empowering an independent Chairman has different effects from empowering independent NEDs. Overall, our results underline the importance of accounting for the heterogeneity in corporate governance arrangements within banks.     

湖南宏观经济模型与经济波动

针对湖南经济波动的剧烈程度高于全国这一事实,建立一个湖南经济波动的预警模型.同时以政府消费和出口为先决变量,以GDP、居民消费和投资为内生变量,利用3SLS法建立一个联立方程组作为湖南的宏观经济模型.模型分析表明,政府消费对GDP等重要变量的乘数效应较大,因而应加大对政府消费的调控.在此基础上,结合ARMA模型和宏观经济波动模型对2010年以前的GDP、消费和投资增长率进行预测,通过系统化分析方法量化以上变量的无警区间,结果表明湖南未来几年的GDP、消费和投资波动将趋于稳定.     

Simultaneous versus sequential information processing

Subjects update prior information simultaneously versus sequentially. The mean prediction is remarkably close to the correct Bayesian estimate with simultaneous information, but differs significantly conditional on whether good news precedes bad news or vice versa.     

冲压同步工程在汽车开发中的运用

冲压同步工程分析（SE）,即运用DFM（Design for Manufacturability）的方法及辅以先进的CAE技术在整车开发的过程中对整车零件进行冲压成形性能评价,在满足制造要求和零件设计之间找到最优结合点,有效降低设计风险及设计成本。文章简要介绍了冲压SE工作的一般内容、目标以及在SGMW某新项目中的应用情况。     

Insurance Considering a New Stochastic Model for the Discount Factor

In many empirical situations (e.g.: Libor), the rate of interest will remain fixed at a certain level (random instantaneous rate i i ) for a random period of time ( t i ) until a new random rate should be considered, i i + 1 , that will remain for t i + 1 , waiting time until the next change in the rate of interest. Three models were developed using the approach cited above for random rate of interest and random waiting times between changes in the rate of interest. Using easy integral transforms (Laplace & Fourier) we will be able to calculate the moments of the probability function of the discount factor, V ( t ), and even its c.d.f. The approach will also be extended to the calculation of the expected value (net premium) and variance of a term insurance and we will get its c.d.f., something not very common in actuarial literature due to its complexity, but very useful when the law of large numbers cannot be applied and consequently use normal approximations.     

Monetising the Classical Equations: a theory of circulation

The Classical Equations describe output and income in real terms.To use them to analyse aggregate demand, the transactions theydescribe must be ‘monetised’. A sum of money equalto the wage bill of the capital goods sector can be shown tobe necessary and sufficient to carry out all transactions, ina process of circulation which also defines an expression forvelocity. When money has intrinsic value, the quantity approachmay hold in the short run but, in the long run, money will beendogenous. In these conditions, the rate of interest will bedetermined by the supply and demand for reserves, but when moneyis purely nominal, only a minimum rate will be fixed, and therate of interest will have to be pegged. The Appendix developsthe Classical Equations and shows that they define an invariableunit of account.     

The role of banks in the governance of nonfinancial firms: Evidence from Europe

The aim of our research is to investigate the important role of banks in the governance of companies listed in the Euronext 100 index. Primarily, this research seeks to examine the impact of a bank’s presence within a firm, as a creditor or shareholder, on firm performance, as well as the motivations of banks to acquire holdings, and whether the presence of a bank as a shareholder of a firm facilitates its access to bank loans. Empirical analyses are conducted with a sample of 86 nonfinancial institutions listed in the Euronext 100 index over the period 2008–2013 using the three-stage least squares method. The study shows, first, that the presence of a bank within a firm, as a creditor or shareholder, is positively related to firm performance. Moreover, the firm’s performance is an important determinant of the presence of bank shareholding. Finally, the presence of a bank as a shareholder of a firm does not facilitate its access to bank loans.     

Avoiding arbitrary exclusion restrictions using ratios of reduced-form estimates

We show how to obtain coherent structural-form (SF) exclusion restrictions using the reduced-form (RF) parameter ratios. It will be shown that an over-identified SF corresponds to a group of regressors sharing the same RF ratio value; those regressors should be excluded jointly from the SF. If there is no group structure, then the SF is just-identified; in this case, however, it is no longer clear which regressor should be excluded. Hence, just-identified SF’s are more arbitrary than over-identified SF’s in terms of exclusion restrictions. This is in stark contrast to the notion that the former is less arbitrary than the latter, because the former excludes fewer regressors. We formalize these points, and then suggest to find the number of modes in the estimated RF ratios as a way to find groups in the ratios. For this purpose, an informal graphical method using a kernel nonparametric method and a formal modality test are employed. An empirical example with selling price in a residential real estate market and duration on the market as two endogenous variables is provided. The authors are grateful to the editor and two anonymous referees for their comments     

The geography of trade in goods and asset holdings

Gravity models have been widely used to describe bilateral trade in goods. Portes and Rey [Portes, R., Rey, H., 2005. The Determinants of Cross-Border Equity Flows. Journal of International Economics, 65(2), 269-296.] applied this framework to cross-border equity flows and found that distance, which proxies information asymmetries, is a surprisingly very large barrier to cross-border asset trade. We adopt a different point of view and explore the complementarity between bilateral trade in goods and bilateral asset holdings in a simultaneous gravity equations framework. Providing different instruments for both endogenous variables, we show that a 10% increase in bilateral trade raises bilateral asset holdings by 6% to 7%. The reverse causality is also significant, albeit smaller. Controlling for trade, the impact of distance on asset holdings is drastically reduced.