Abstract

The article deals with the determinants of the varying commitments assumed by the banking groups on the German money market. The respective liquidity status of the banks is used as the basis for analysis of money market activities. In turn, the liquidity status is determined essentially by the clientele and business structure. The line if inquiry follows from this fundamental interrelationship. Starting out from the analysis of clientele and business structures, the basic characteristics of the respective liquidity status is worked out and related to the money market commitments of the various banking groups. It proves that in addition to ‘objective’ liquidity-structure determinants, also a number of ‘subjective’ motives or determinants deriving from the individual business policy or from existing legal regulations play a role. With regard to the net positions of the banking groups on the money market, the study arrives at the following conclusion: on the creditor side of the market we invariably find the mortgage banks and the central cash department of federal postal administration, while continual borrowers comprise the groups of regional banks and other commercial banks, the instalment credit institutions, the private bankers and predominantly also the foreign banks. Net positions fluctuating between “plus and minus” are exhibited by the special-purpose commercial banks, the major banks, the savings bank sector and the co-operative sector, all these groups being characterized by a more or less marked creditor position.