European Central Bank

Private safe-asset supply and financial instability

This paper analyzes the private production of safe assets and its implications forfinancial stability. Financial intermediaries (FIs) originate loans, exert hidden effort toimprove loan quality, and create safe assets by issuing debt backed by the safe paymentsfrom (i) their own loans and (ii) a diversified pool of loans from all intermediaries. Ishow that the interaction between effort and diversification decisions determines theaggregate level of safe assets produced by FIs.

Effects of monetary policy on labour income: the role of the employer

This article investigates how firms transmit monetary policy shocks to individual labour market outcomes at both the intensive and extensive margins. Using matched employer-employee administrative data from Germany, we study the effects of monetary policy shocks on individual employment and of labour income conditioning on characteristics of workers and firms. First, we find that the employment of workers at young firms is especially sensitive to monetary policy shocks.

Creditworthy: do climate change risks matter for sovereign credit ratings?

Do sovereign credit ratings take into account physical and transition climate risks? This paper empirically addresses this question using a panel dataset that includes a large sample of countries over two decades. The analysis reveals that higher temperature anomalies and more frequent natural disasters—key indicators of physical risk—are associated with lower credit ratings. In contrast, transition risk factors do not appear to be systematically integrated into credit ratings throughout the entire sample period.

Creditworthy: do climate change risks matter for sovereign credit ratings?

Do sovereign credit ratings take into account physical and transition climate risks? This paper empirically addresses this question using a panel dataset that includes a large sample of countries over two decades. The analysis reveals that higher temperature anomalies and more frequent natural disasters—key indicators of physical risk—are associated with lower credit ratings. In contrast, transition risk factors do not appear to be systematically integrated into credit ratings throughout the entire sample period.

The expert’s edge? Bank lending specialization and informational advantages for credit risk assessment

We examine whether loan portfolio sectoral specialization provides informational advantages to banks, enabling better credit risk assessment. Using euro area credit register data, we compare probabilities of default assigned by specialized and non-specialized banks to the same borrowing firm several quarters before the borrower defaults. We find that banks specialized in the borrower’s sector are better in predicting future defaults. This is mostly driven by specialized banks actively raising probabilities of default earlier, not by higher probabilities of default when loans are issued.

The expert’s edge? Bank lending specialization and informational advantages for credit risk assessment

We examine whether loan portfolio sectoral specialization provides informational advantages to banks, enabling better credit risk assessment. Using euro area credit register data, we compare probabilities of default assigned by specialized and non-specialized banks to the same borrowing firm several quarters before the borrower defaults. We find that banks specialized in the borrower’s sector are better in predicting future defaults. This is mostly driven by specialized banks actively raising probabilities of default earlier, not by higher probabilities of default when loans are issued.

Filling the gap: the geographical allocation of euro area portfolio investment liabilities and related income

This paper presents the estimation method used to break down the euro area portfolio investment liabilities in the international investment position (i.i.p.) and their corresponding income debits in the balance of payments (b.o.p.), by main geographical counterpart. Identifying non-resident investors in euro area portfolio investment liabilities (i.e. equity and debt securities issued by euro area residents) is a complex task, as securities are regularly traded in secondary markets and held via custodians and other financial intermediaries.

Using corporate earnings calls to forecast euro area labour demand

This box explores the use of corporate earnings calls as a novel, high-frequency source of data for nowcasting and forecasting labour demand in the euro area. Labour demand has started to show signs of cooling following its post-pandemic peak. By applying textual analysis to transcripts of earnings calls, we construct an indicator that correlates strongly with the euro area job vacancy rate. This metric enables us to produce timely forecasts ahead of official data releases. Utilising a mixed data sampling (MIDAS) regression approach, we use this indicator to forecast the job vacancy rate.

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