In many countries, payment services in banking have shifted from paper-based giro and cheque payments to electronic giro and debit card payments. This paper analyses the effect of this change in payment technology within a multiple-output framework using Norwegian bank-level panel data. The dual...

Most banks hold a capital to asset ratio well above the required minimum defined by the present capital adequacy regulation (Basel I). Using bank-level panel data from Norway, important hypotheses concerning the determination of the buffer capital are analysed. Focus is on the importance of: (i)...

As financial stability has gained focus in economic policymaking, the demand for analyses of financial stability and the consequences of economic policy has increased. Alternative macroeconomic models are available for policy analyses, and this paper evaluates the usefulness of some models from...

We evaluate two main views on pursuing financial stability within a flexible inflation-targeting regime. It appears that potential gains from an activist or precautionary approach to promoting financial stability are highly shock dependent. We find support for the conventional view that concern...

In this paper we question whether parental resources are important for first-time buyers? We find a nuanced set of results. First, when parents help out financially, it clearly increases the probability of entering the housing market. Furthermore, some of this help is taken out as lower...