Firm Subsidies, Financial Intermediation, and Bank Stability
Aleksandr Kazakov, Michael Koetter, Mirko Titze, Lena Tonzer
IWH Discussion Papers,
No. 24,
2022
Abstract
We use granular project-level information for the largest regional economic development program in German history to study whether government subsidies to firms affect the quantity and quality of bank lending. We combine the universe of recipient firms under the Improvement of Regional Economic Structures program (GRW) with their local banks during 1998-2019. The modalities of GRW subsidies to firms are determined at the EU level. Therefore, we use it to identify bank outcomes. Banks with relationships to more subsidized firms exhibit higher lending volumes without any significant differences in bank stability. Subsidized firms, in turn, borrow more indicating that banks facilitate regional economic development policies.
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29.09.2022 • 23/2022
Joint Economic Forecast 2/2022: Energy crisis: inflation, recession, welfare loss
The crisis on the gas markets is having a severe impact on the German economy. Soaring gas prices are drastically increasing energy costs, leading to a massive reduction of the purchasing power. Despite a decline in the second half of the year, gross domestic product is expected to expand by 1.4% this year. For the coming year, the institutes expect a contraction by 0.4%, followed by an increase of 1.9% in 2024.
Oliver Holtemöller
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21.06.2022 • 14/2022
War drives up energy prices ‒ High inflation weighs on economy
While the lifting of nationwide coronavirus regulations boosts many service sectors such as the hospitality industry, supply bottlenecks are likely to weigh on the manufacturing sector throughout the summer and high inflation will dampen private consumption. Gross domestic product (GDP) in Germany is expected to decline slightly in the second quarter of 2022. The situation in the manufacturing sector is expected to ease towards the end of the year. The Halle Institute for Economic Research (IWH) forecasts that GDP will increase by 1.5% in 2022, following an increase by 2.9% in 2021. In East Germany, GDP will increase by 1%.
Oliver Holtemöller
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Firm Subsidies, Financial Intermediation, and Bank Risk
Aleksandr Kazakov, Michael Koetter, Mirko Titze, Lena Tonzer
Abstract
We study whether government subsidies can stimulate bank funding of marginal investment projects and the associated effect on financial stability. We do so by exploiting granular project-level information for the largest regional economic development programme in Germany since 1997: the Improvement of Regional Economic Structures programme (GRW). By combining the universe of subsidised firms to virtually all German local banks over the period 1998-2019, we test whether this large-scale transfer programme destabilised regional credit markets. Because GRW subsidies to firms are destabilised at the EU level, we can use it as an exogenous shock to identify bank responses. On average, firm subsidies do not affect bank lending, but reduce banks’ distance to default. Average effects conflate important bank-level heterogeneity though. Conditional on various bank traits, we show that well capitalised banks with more industry experience expand lending when being exposed to subsidised firms without exhibiting more risky financial profiles. Our results thus indicate that stable banks can act as an important facilitator of regional economic development policies. Against the backdrop of pervasive transfer payments to mitigate Covid-19 losses and in light of far-reaching transformation policies required to green the economy, our study bears important implications as to whether and which banks to incorporate into the design of transfer Programmes.
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Aktuelle Trends: Weniger Gewerbeabmeldungen seit Beginn der Pandemie
Steffen Müller
Wirtschaft im Wandel,
No. 4,
2021
Abstract
Insolvente Unternehmen sind zahlungsunfähig oder überschuldet und werden in den allermeisten Fällen geschlossen. Dagegen wird ein Gewerbe nicht nur bei der Insolvenz eines Betriebes abgemeldet, sondern z. B. auch, wenn ein Weiterbetrieb nicht lohnend erscheint. Somit sollte sich die gegenwärtige Corona-Krise auch in einer höheren Zahl an Gewerbeabmeldungen spiegeln.
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East Germany
East Germany Rearguard Only investments in education will lead to a further catch-up ...
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Die Deutsche Wirtschaft in der Pandemie
Eva Dettmann, André Diegmann, Ute Leber, Matthias Mertens, Steffen Müller, Verena Plümpe, Barbara Schwengler
IAB-Forschungsbericht,
2021
Abstract
Der Ausbruch der Corona-Pandemie zu Beginn des Jahres 2020 beendete die längste Wachstumsphase der Wirtschaft im wiedervereinten Deutschland. Schon die erste Welle der Corona-Krise bedeutet einen großen Einschnitt in die Geschäftstätigkeit vieler Betriebe in Deutschland, etwa zwei Drittel aller Betriebe in West- und Ostdeutschland sind zum Befragungszeitpunkt, d.h. zwischen Juni und Oktober 2020, von negativen Auswirkungen der Pandemie oder den Maßnahmen zu ihrer Eindämmung betroffen. Den Rückgang der Nachfrage bezeichnen 85 Prozent und damit mit Abstand die meisten Betriebe in Deutschland als problematisch. Behördlich angeordnete Schließungen wirkten sich auf die Geschäftstätigkeit etwa eines Drittels der Betriebe negativ aus. Vor allem betroffene kleine (neun Prozent) und Kleinstbetriebe (zwölf Prozent) sehen sich in ihrer Existenz bedroht.
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