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ES0910

The document summarizes the successful approach taken by Nordic countries to resolve their banking crises in the early 1990s. Key aspects of the Nordic approach included establishing bipartisan political support, creating a new crisis resolution agency, seeking private solutions when possible, being highly transparent, openly accounting for all losses at an early stage, and refraining from concealing problems. This approach helped maintain confidence in the banking system, avoided bank runs, and resulted in much lower eventual costs than initial estimates despite protecting both depositors and some private investors.

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35 views

ES0910

The document summarizes the successful approach taken by Nordic countries to resolve their banking crises in the early 1990s. Key aspects of the Nordic approach included establishing bipartisan political support, creating a new crisis resolution agency, seeking private solutions when possible, being highly transparent, openly accounting for all losses at an early stage, and refraining from concealing problems. This approach helped maintain confidence in the banking system, avoided bank runs, and resulted in much lower eventual costs than initial estimates despite protecting both depositors and some private investors.

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Y L
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© © All Rights Reserved
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Economic SYNOPSES

short essays and reports on the economic issues of the day

2009 ■ Number 10

Resolving a Banking Crisis, the Nordic Way


Richard G. Anderson, Vice President and Economist

conomic historians have long noted a high correla- disclosure rules, and capital adequacy requirements for

E tion between financial crises and downturns in


economic activity. One of the more widely discussed
cases during the past two decades is the Nordic banking
Danish banks were made stricter than the other Nordic
banks.”

crisis. During the early 1990s, Norway, Finland, and Sweden


all experienced severe banking difficulties. Although events “The Nordic bank resolution
in each country differ, there was a common “two stage” is widely regarded as among
sequence in each country: rapidly increasing economic the most successful in history.”
growth accompanied by financial liberalization and the
introduction of new financial instruments, followed by
sharp recession and financial crisis.1 In Norway, loan losses Honkapohja offers some recommendations, based on the
were 0.7 percent of total loans in 1987 and increased to 6 Nordic experience, for policy responses to financial crises4:
percent in 1991; in Finland, loan losses were 0.5 percent First, build a bipartisan political consensus to support the
in 1989 and increased to 4.7 percent in 1992; in Sweden, actions needed to maintain confidence in the banking
losses were 0.3 percent in 1989 and increased to 7 percent system. This includes establishing a new crisis resolution
in 1992.2 Widespread losses affected the residential and agency to handle both communication with the public and
commercial real estate, retail, and service sectors, among bank restructuring. If successful, such an agency can reduce
conflicts of interest or “turf fights” among existing agencies
others. Some losses were exacerbated by foreign currency
while providing capital and liquidity to banks, even if
exposure.
another agency (such as the central bank) provides funding.
Honkapohja (2009) cites deregulation of the financial
This agency may also be well placed to moderate inevitable
system in the 1980s as the root of both the economic down-
attempts by bank owners to capture for themselves a greater
turn and the financial crisis.3 Around 1980, attractive
share of the largesse—actions that can undermine public
interest rates amplified inflows of capital; in these deregu-
support for crisis resolution. Second, seek private solutions,
lated markets, credit expanded according to market forces. including mergers and acquisitions; avoid liquidations when
Honkapohja notes that this “led to uncontrolled credit possible. Third, be very transparent regarding support
expansion” and “soaring indebtedness in the private sector” actions. In the Nordic case, public confidence was sustained
and furthermore that the rules and practices of 1969 were and bank runs avoided (absent government deposit insur-
left unchanged when banking was deregulated and financial ance) through a highly visible public government guarantee
instruments evolved. The result was an increase in informa- for the obligations of banks, including both deposits and
tion asymmetry—the now all-too-familiar historical pre- borrowings.5 While debt holders were protected, equity
cursor to financial crises—amplified by international capital holders suffered decreases in value but were not automati-
inflows. If international investors enter a country with com- cally wiped out when the governments provided support.
plete information, and if their confidence in the country An additional element of the Nordic resolution was
does not change, then that country’s economy may be able openness, “refraining from concealing both the extent and
to function well with a relatively high level of international nature of the problem.”6 This required openly accounting
debt. However, if investors enter a country with imperfect for all expected losses and write-downs, for all banks, at
information, or if the rate of growth changes, they may seek an early stage. For many assets, especially real estate, this
to withdraw capital. Honkapohja cites Denmark in counter- is a difficult problem; Ingves and Lind (1996) note that in
point: The essential feature of Denmark was a much smaller Sweden this was successfully solved with adjusted asset
level of asymmetric information: “Prudential supervision, values subsequently earning a return “close to the market
Economic SYNOPSES Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis 2

rate.” They also emphasize the “unpleasant truth” about Mizen, Paul. “The Credit Crunch of 2007-2008: A Discussion of the Background,
banking crisis resolutions that there will be losses and that Market Reactions, and Policy Responses.” Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Review, September/October 2008, 90(5), pp. 531-68.
the “loss has to be covered—in one way or another.” Besides
Neal, Larry. “The Financial Crisis of 1825 and the Restructuring of the British
guiding public assistance, honest accounting may instill Financial System.” Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis Review, May/June 1998,
confidence in private investors who perhaps will recapitalize 80(3), pp. 53-78.
potentially viable banks. Of the six large banks in Sweden, Sandal, K. “The Nordic Banking Crises in the Early 1990s—Resolution Methods
for example, three received public assistance and three did and Fiscal Costs,” in T. More, J. Solheim, and B. Vale, eds., The Norwegian Banking
Crisis. Norges Banks Skriftserie/Occasional Papers No. 33, 2004, pp. 77-115.
not; the latter were able to raise necessary capital privately.7
Society-wide benefits also might accrue if the fire-sale dis- 1 This pattern is the classic historical experience, perhaps observed first in Britain
posal of assets can be avoided and public confidence in in 1825 (Neal, 1998). For the U.S. experience since 1857, see Mishkin (1991).
the financial system can be sustained.8 2 These figures are from Drees and Pazarbaşioğlu (1998).
The Nordic bank resolution is widely regarded as among 3 While noting the correlation between deregulation and the crisis, Drees and
the most successful in history. In all three countries, the Pazarbaşioğlu (1998) place more weight on deteriorating macroeconomic condi-
tions, declines in income (particularly oil, in the case of Norway, but also in the
final net cost of assistance to the banks (net of liquidation terms of trade for commodity exporters such as Sweden), and depressed asset
of assets and including appreciation in the value of govern- markets.
ment shares) was far smaller than the initial cost—for 4 The Nordic countries did not invent these solutions; their actions were modeled,

Sweden and Norway, near zero, for Finland, an eventual in a large part, on the U.S. Resolution Trust Corporation (RTC). Generally,
Honkapohja’s points are discussed in all the references listed below.
5.3 percent of 1997 GDP versus initial outlays of 9 percent
5 This type of ex post government deposit insurance has become almost an
of GDP.9 ■
expected feature of banking crises. The British government expanded its limited
deposit insurance to deposits in full after the runs on Northern Rock (see Mizen,
References 2008); in the United States, the FDIC recently increased its deposit insurance
Berg, Sigbjørn Atle. “Bank Failures in Scandinavia,” in G. Caprio, W. Hunter, G. limit, temporarily, to $250,000 on most accounts and added unlimited insurance
Kaufman, and D. Leipziger, eds., Preventing Bank Crises: Lessons from Recent for non-interest-bearing transaction deposits (used primarily by businesses).
Global Bank Failures. Washington, DC: International Bank for Reconstruction 6 Ingves and Lind (1996, pp. 9-10).
and Development (World Bank), 1998. 7Berg (1998, Table 11.1, p. 197) provides figures, by bank, as the end of 1993.
Drees, Burkhard and Pazarbaşioğlu, Ceyla. “The Nordic Banking Crises: Pitfalls Drees and Pazarbaşioğlu (1998, chap. 6) provide similar 1993 figures for Sweden
in Financial Liberalization?” IMF Occasional Paper 161, International Monetary but a more detailed chronology for Norway and Finland.
Fund, April 1998. 8 See Ingves and Lind’s (1996) superior discussion of the social and political
Honkapohja, Seppo. “The 1990’s Financial Crises in Nordic Countries.” Bank of trade-offs inherent in any bank support actions.
Finland Research Discussion Papers No. 5, 2009. 9 See Table 2 in Honkapohja (2008), which he cites from Sandal (2004).
Ingves, Stefan and Lind, Göran. “The Management of the Bank Crisis—in
Retrospect.” Sveriges Riksbank Quarterly Review, 1996, (1), pp. 5-18.
Mishkin, Frederic S. “Asymmetric Information and Financial Crises: A Historical
Perspective,” in Glenn Hubbard, ed., Financial Markets and Financial Crises:
A Historical Perspective. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1991.

Posted on February 18, 2009


Views expressed do not necessarily reflect official positions of the Federal Reserve System.

research.stlouisfed.org

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