Abstract

The Preparedness of the Banks to Assume Risks in the Credit Business

The conditions under which banks are prepared to assume risks in the credit business is a controversial issue in the scientific literature on banking. The predominant theses are the thesis of risk-covering by way of the interest rate - this theory can be substantiated theoretically - and the thesis of standardization of risks - this thesis is based on observation of credit business practice. This article first presents theoretical justifications for the risk-covering hypothesis and shows that its consequences are irreconcilable with the available empirical knowledge. In contrast, the study develops the hypothesis that basically banks are interested in avoiding risks. In justification of such conduct theoretical arguments are advanced, which are founded on the risk sensitivity that is typical of banks. Some possible objections are discussed, which might be based on empirically observed facts such as credit losses and interest rate differentiation.