How Do Short-Term Cross-Border Capital Flows Affect Bank Risk-Taking? Evidence from China

This study examines the impact of short-term cross-border capital flows on banks' risk-taking using panel quarterly data from all 37 A-share listed commercial banks in China. We demonstrate that short-term cross-border capital flows increase both ex ante and ex post risk-taking by banks. The impact of short-term cross-border capital flows upon banks' ex ante and ex post risk-taking is heterogeneous across different kinds of commercial banks and at different phases of the financial cycle. Besides, short-term cross-border capital flows exhibit a non-linear effect on banks' ex ante risk-taking and ex post risk-taking with changes in capital account openness.