In this paper we investigate the determinants of bank interest margins in Central and Eastern European countries (CEEC). We try to assess to what extent the weak performance of many banks in transition economies can be attributed to a low degree of efficiency and non-competitive market...

A considerable number of Western European banks have acquired banks in Central and Eastern Europe from the mid-1990s onwards. The question is whether or not this will improve the efficiency and profitability of the Central and Eastern European banking sectors. We test the relative strength of...