We introduce a theoretical model predicting that banks' interest rate markups follow a lifecycle pattern. Due to endogenous bank monitoring by competing banks, borrowing firms initially face a low markup, thereafter an increasing markup until it falls for old firms. By applying a large sample of...

This paper studies strategies pursued by banks in order to differentiate their services from those of their rivals. In that way competition among banks is softened. More specifically we analyze if the bank size, the bank's ability to avoid losses, and its capital ratio can be used as strategic...

This paper studies strategies pursued by banks in order to differentiate their services and soften competition. More specifically we analyze whether bank's ability to avoid losses, its capital ratio, or bank size can be used as strategic variables to make banks different and increase the...