Issues of the Importance of Bank Capital

The main aim of this report is to identify the key roles played by bank capital in the banking business. This report briefly outlines the main functions of bank capital and takes a brief look at the benefits of bank capital to the bank and the banking industry. It is hoped that from reading this paper a general understanding of the roles of bank capital in the banking business can be gained. Bank Capital A bank’s capital also known as equity is the margin by which creditors are covered if the bank’s assets were liquidated.

A bank must hold enough capital to protect lenders and depositors from losses and also allow the bank to meet its customer requirements. Banks must maintain capital levels equal with the amount of risks assumed and hold enough to weather severe and considerably long financial storms. Roles of Bank Capital Banks are susceptible to many forms of systematic risk which at times can evolve into industrial crisis.

The risks they face include credit risk, market risk, business risk and interest rate risk to name a few.

And bank capital plays an essential role in the absorption of losses related to these risks. Credit Risk Credit risk is the risk that an obligator will not make future interest payments or principle repayments when due and is the main risk faced by banks, considering how large global financial markets are and the proportion of transactions that may be at risk. Credit risk tends to vary with the business cycle as initial rapid expansion results in falling spreads, and a decline in credit widening spreads with banks being hit by large loses as the spread widens.

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Banks are taking on more diverse forms of lending including direct finance, margin lending, over the counter derivatives transactions with the high number of potential defaults in these areas exposing them to large amounts of counterparty risk. There is also credit risk involved with futures brokerage involving intermediaries and the substantial credit risks from settling foreign exchange contracts which are often underestimated. Credit risk also may exist in credit derivatives and asset securitization transactions.

To protect themselves banks need to identify the type of credit risk correctly, price it accurately and maintain adequately high amounts of capital in both good times and bad times. Market Risk Capital also protects banks against market risk. This is the risk associated with the movements and volatility in market prices which can cause large swings in bank profitability. Continuous changes in technology and market creativity are resulting in ever changing financial products and market risks making evident a relationship between markets that we had previously thought of as unrelated.

These unpredictable changes require banks to maintain strong capital levels especially with the period a bank has to alter its risk profile becoming shorter due to greater competition. Business Risk Capital also provides a cushion against exposures to elements that can impact on the firms’ activities and may result in the bank losing ground relative to its competitors or failing to earn a market rate of return.

Bank capital is a crucial aid in relation to operational risk which may result in loss by a bank of its critical business operations due to a disaster such as loss of a communications system which can lead to fraud or processing errors. With the continuing diversification of banking, the growing concentration of the crucial payments, the fast pace of financial innovation and settlements, the importance of operational risk is rising and bank capital becoming more crucial in this area. Liquidity Liquidity is the ability to fund increases in assets and meet obligations as they become due.

Banks still play a crucial role as liquidity providers in the global economy especially during market shocks or economic turbulence. Adequate bank capital helps reduces liquidity risk, that is, the risk that many depositors will request withdrawals beyond available funds. Banks have managed the general expected liquidity demands since the beginning of the banking business with occasional mismatches exposing banks to interest rate risk, which is the risk that the bank will become unprofitable if rising interest rates force it to pay relatively more on its deposits than it eceives on its loans. Normally this risk can also be managed easily by hedging interest rate changes by the use of derivative instruments. However unanticipated system wide shocks result in a greater demand for liquidity and are far more difficult to deal with. At such times significant liquidity demands emerge from both a banks asset and the liability side. Refinancing short-term debt in the money markets is liability related and off-balance-sheet exposures can unexpectedly come onto the assets side of the balance sheet.

Therefore a bank must be prepared when there is a market wide scramble for liquidity and be able to manage funding challenges and unplanned asset expansions simultaneously by having sufficient bank capital. Promote economic growth A strongly capitalized banking sector also is better able to promote innovation, whether in the form of new products, new services or new distribution channels. Banks do not just hold capital to overcome distress, but also because it provides them with financial flexibility.

Banks with a strong capital base can take advantage of growth opportunities. A strong banking sector made up of banks with strong capital bases, is better able to supply credit to businesses and fund investment opportunities that promise to encourage growth, create employment and contribute to a stronger economy. On the other hand a weak banking sector with banks unable to function effectively as risk intermediaries inevitably leads to inadequate credit and liquidity in financial markets and to banks that are unable to help boost the productivity of the economy.

Clearly this has a grave social impact given the importance of credit and liquidity to the overall economy. Benefits of strong bank capitalization Well capitalized banks will be able to continue with there normal lending practices in the event of an economic shock and will not be forced to reduce their asset base. As well as this they are able to assist weaker banks through the provision of deposit insurance premiums. Sufficient excess capital reserves enable banks to enter into large ventures without having to raise new capital.

Banks are not inclined to take on numerous high risk borrowers purely for the potential benefit of high returns as they are not desperately seeking profits to increase their capital base. Excess capital holds the benefit of avoiding high financing costs. An example would be a bank having to pay a high rate of interest on loans from other banks if the bank’s excess capital reserves are found to be insufficient. With fast-paced technological change predominately in the information systems area well capitalized banks are cushion from the enormous costs of, for example total system upgrades.

Finally a bank’s reputation will suffer if the bank finds it difficult to meet the regulatory body’s capital requirements. Large banks wish to keep their good ratings and therefore have considerable high capital reserves because rating agencies make demands regarding the banks’ excess capital reserves as a condition for a high rating Conclusion The role of capital is to act as a buffer against future unexpected and even relatively remote losses that a bank may incur and be a source of liquidity.

Because banks can both create demand deposits and provide credit they act as shock absorbers during times of turbulence providing safety to risk weary investors and liquidity to borrowers. The dramatic effects of weak banking systems can be seen in both developed and developing economies and the repercussions these have had on financial markets everywhere. Each occasion is a reminder of the need for strongly capitalized financial institutions.