Using confidential loan-level data, we investigate the importance of bank loans in the debt structure of U.S. state and local governments. We show that most bank debt is closely substitutable with municipal bonds and that smaller, lower-income and less credit-worthy borrowers are more reliant on...

We study the determinants of local governments' reliance on bank loans using granular data from the Federal Reserve. Governments that are larger, rely on stable revenue sources, or have higher spending relative to revenues are more likely to borrow from banks. About a third of governments in the...

We study the determinants of local governments' reliance on bank loans using granular data from the Federal Reserve. Governments that are larger, rely on stable revenue sources, or have higher spending relative to revenues are more likely to borrow from banks. About a third of governments in the...

A set of recent international studies reveal the scarcity of coherent entity-level estimation systems able to lead to an adequate identification and valuation of social and environmental performance, despite the large number of entities claiming their concern for the environmental impact of...

In this paper we analyze why 10b-5 litigation risk was higher for corporations in technology and financial services industries than for companies in other industries between 1989 and 1992. We find that technology firms were more likely to be sued primarily because of characteristics reflected in...

We provide empirical evidence of both (1) price dispersion and (2) credit rationing in the corporate loan market. We argue that these properties are caused by two factors: an adverse selection resulting from the information asymmetry between lenders and borrowers, and search frictions in...

We provide empirical evidence of both (1) price dispersion and (2) credit rationing in the corporate loan market. We argue that these properties are caused by two factors: an adverse selection resulting from the information asymmetry between lenders and borrowers, and search frictions in...

This 2002 Article IV Consultation highlights that Spain experienced a second year of subdued growth in 2002—albeit at a rate still well above the euro area average. This was largely owing to the relative resilience of Spain’s domestic demand, which in turn was supported by a...