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Journal of Finance Vol. 64 No. 3 2009

Level Playing Fields in International Financial Regulation

Alan D. Morrison; Lucy White1,2,3

1 Economic Policy Institute · 2 World Bank · 3 Marcus (United States)

Abstract

We analyze the desirability of level playing fields in international financial regulation. In general, level playing fields impose the standards of the weakest regulator upon the best‐regulated economies. However, they may be desirable when capital is mobile because they counter a cherry‐picking effect that lowers the size and efficiency of banks in weaker economies. Hence, while a laissez faire policy favors the better‐regulated economy, level playing fields are good for weaker regulators. We show that multinational banking mitigates the cherry‐picking effect, and reduces the damage that a level playing field causes in the better‐regulated economy.

DOI
10.1111/j.1540-6261.2009.01460.x
Volume
64
Issue
3
Pages
1099-1142
Language
en
Sources
openalex crossref

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