Using data for the period 1995-96 to 1999-2000, this paper seeks to identify the factors influencing spreads of Scheduled Commercial Banks in India. Among the explanatory variables, we incorporate, in addition to the standard set of variables, regulatory requirement variables. Our analysis...

The paper examines the impact of firms exhibiting political connection on their stock market performance. The results appear to suggest that the performance of ‘political’ stocks has been significantly weak. This is apparent in simple univariate tests that compare the political stocks across...

CEO compensation considerations have gained prominence in recent times, especially in the wake of the subprime turmoil. Using cross-section data on Indian manufacturing firms for 2007, the paper explores the association between executive compensation and firm performance and concludes that pay...

Market power in the hands of a supplier- such as a labor union - affects an industry’s capital structure. Using panel data techniques for 1992-2004, this note shows that industries indeed appear to employ financial leverage strategically to influence collective bargaining decisions. The...

Employing data on Indian banks for 1992-2012, the article examines the impact of macroprudential measures on bank performance. First, it finds that state-owned banks tend to have lower profitability and soundness than their private counterparts. Next, it tests whether such differentials between...

Using data on Indian banks for 1996-2007, the article examines the impact of foreign banks on the domestic banking sector. The analysis suggests that foreign bank penetration improves profitability and asset quality, although it dampens spreads. The results are robust to alternate measures of...

The paper examines the association between corporate leverage and their investment in R&D. Towards this end, it develops certain testable propositions. These propositions are tested using a dataset of manufacturing firms in India covering the period 1995-2005. The estimates support the fact that...

The paper explores the factors influencing banking outreach. Using time series data on Indian states for 1973-2004, the analysis indicates a divergence across states in terms of the outreach of formal finance over time, ceteris paribus. The findings also uncover an important role of literacy and...

The paper makes a systematic attempt to ascertain the nexus between finance and growth at the sub-national level for an emerging economy. Using data on major states in India for 1973 to 2004, the analysis indicates significant regional divergences in financial outreach across states, as also in...

Using data on Indian banks during 1996-2007, the paper examines the impact of bank activity and short-term funding for bank returns and risks. The findings indicate that larger, fast growing financial firms tend to have higher fee income shares. In addition, banks with greater reliance on fee...