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Journal of Financial Economics Vol. 125 No. 3 2017

Interbank networks in the National Banking Era: Their purpose and their role in the Panic of 1893

Charles W. Calomiris1,2; Mark A. Carlson3,4,5

1 National Bureau of Economic Research · 2 Columbia University · 3 Federal Reserve Board of Governors · 4 Federal Reserve · 5 Bank for International Settlements

open access

Abstract

The unit banking structure of the United States produced a uniquely important interbank correspondent network. During the National Banking Era, this network normally provided banks with access to money markets, facilitated payment processing, and helped banks meet legal reserve requirements. In crises, network connections could be a source of liquidity risk. That risk became evident during the Panic of 1893, when New York suspended convertibility. Banks with high two-sided liquidity risk (those holding more of their liquid assets with their correspondents and funded to a greater extent by deposits of other banks) were particularly exposed and more likely to close.

DOI
10.1016/j.jfineco.2017.06.007
Volume
125
Issue
3
Pages
434-453
Language
en
Sources
bibtex:phds-export.bib openalex crossref

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