To verify if a delegated monitor can certify its ability to perform its assigned tasks, we test whether syndicated loans in which a larger share of the facility is retained by the arranger have lower interest rates. For a large sample of syndicated loans in over 80 countries we find that this...

This paper investigates the determinants of the patterns of banks' foreign investment using a unique database of 260 large banks from OECD countries. Consistent with previous research, we find that high integration between the home and destination countries affects the location choice. However,...

The general conclusion of the empirical literature is that in-market consolidation generates adverse price changes, harming consumers. Previous studies, however, look only at the short-run pricing impact of consolidation, ignoring effects that take longer to materialize. Using a database that...

Population ageing in Italy is more pronounced than in most of the other developed countries. Given the very low employment rate for older workers, this is likely to have a negative effect on overall labour force participation in the near future. This paper describes the demographic and...