Southeastern Europe: Financial Deepening, Foreign Banks and Sudden Stops in Capital Flows

Over recent years, rapid financial deepening has been observed in Southeastern Europe. While originally welcomed as a sign of financial development spurring growth, macrofinancial stability concerns emerged as inflationary pressures rose and current account deficits came close to or surpassed double-digit levels. However, until autumn 2008, stability risks remained contained. Since then, Southeastern European countries appear to have been confronted with a sudden stop of capital flows, creating an Asian-crisis-like scenario. While this seems to vindicate warnings that financial deepening had taken an unsustainable course, the drying up of capital flows has largely been reflecting contagion from the financial turmoil in mature markets. Against this background, the most recent events indicate that the strategy of fostering financial development based on fit and proper foreign banks does not automatically provide a guarantee for financial stability.