The Australian Financial System Inquiry (FSI) has identified ways to improve the efficiency and resilience of the Australian banking system. In particular, bank capital levels are expected to be unquestionably strong. However, limited empirical guidance on the size of such buffers exists. We analyse the impact of increased capital buffers on system resilience based on...

This paper investigates the effects of credit ratings-contingent financial regulation on foreign bank lending behaviour and examines the sensitivity of international bank flows to debtor countries’ sovereign credit rating changes before and after the implementation of the Basel 2 risk-based capital regulatory rules. The research finds evidence that sovereign credit re-ratings that lead to changes...