REGIONAL EFFECTS OF THE FINANCIAL CRISIS FOR BRAZILIAN AND SPANISH BANK SYSTEMS

Abstract

The aim of this article is to present an exploratory and comparative analysis of the regional effects of the last financial crisis in the Brazilian and Spanish banking systems. Recent banking characteristics of the Brazilian and Spanish banking systems were identified. In the first case, the evidence of credit concentration in more economically developed regions is dominant and increased liquidity preference in peripherical regions. The last crisis has accentuated this pattern. In the Spanish case, the market segmentation (with the presence of regional banks) mitigated the effects of the crisis. However, the recent process of bank restructuring has caused modifications in the Spanish banking map. The large number of mergers, acquisitions and interventions have increased the market concentration, reduced the credit in peripheral regions, strengthening the regional inequalities.