Fiscal transparency and the cost of sovereign debt

2016 ◽  
Vol 83 (1) ◽  
pp. 106-128 ◽  
Author(s):  
Francisco Bastida ◽  
María-Dolores Guillamón ◽  
Bernardino Benito
Keyword(s):  
Interest Rates ◽  
Public Management ◽  
Sovereign Debt ◽  
Credit Rating ◽  
Credit Ratings ◽  
Political Trust ◽  
Cost Of Debt ◽  
Budget Deficits ◽  
Fiscal Transparency ◽  
The Cost

This article analyses the factors that seem to play an important role in determining the cost of sovereign debt. Specifically, we evaluate to what extent transparency, the level of corruption, citizens’ trust in politicians and credit ratings affect interest rates. For that purpose, we create a transparency index matching the 2007 Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development/World Bank Budgeting Database items with the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development Best Practices for Budget Transparency sections. We also check our assumptions with the International Budget Partnership’s Open Budget Index and with a non-linear transformation of our index. Furthermore, we use several control variables for a sample of 103 countries in the year 2008. Our results show that better fiscal transparency, political trust and credit ratings are connected with a lower cost of sovereign debt. Finally, as expected, higher corruption, budget deficits, current account deficits and unemployment make sovereign interest rates increase. Points for practitioners The key implications for professionals working in public management and administration are twofold. First, despite the criticism raised by credit ratings, it is clear that poorer ratings are connected with higher financing costs for governments. Therefore, governments should enhance those indicators that impact the credit rating of their sovereign debt. Second, governments should seek to be more transparent, since transparency reduces uncertainty about the degree of cheating, improves decision-making and therefore decreases the cost of debt. Transparency reduces information asymmetries between governments and financial markets, which, in turn, diminishes the spread requested by investors.

scholarly journals ESG Scores and the Credit Market

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (8) ◽  
pp. 3456 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ga-Young Jang ◽  
Hyoung-Goo Kang ◽  
Ju-Yeong Lee ◽  
Kyounghun Bae
Keyword(s):  
Small Firms ◽  
Credit Rating ◽  
Credit Ratings ◽  
Debt Financing ◽  
Corporate Bond ◽  
Cost Of Debt ◽  
Rating Agencies ◽  
Bond Returns ◽  
The Cost ◽  
The Relationship

This study analyzes the relationship between Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) scores and bond returns using the corporate bond data in Korea during the period of 2010 to 2015. We find that ESG scores include valuable information about the downside risk of firms. This effect is particularly salient for the firms with high information asymmetry such as small firms. Interestingly, of the three ESG criteria, only environmental scores show a significant impact on bond returns when interacted with the firm size, suggesting that high environmental scores lower the cost of debt financing for small firms. Finally, ESG is complementary to credit ratings in assessing credit quality as credit ratings cannot explain away ESG effects in predicting future bond returns. This result suggests that credit rating agencies should either integrate ESG scores into their current rating process or produce separate ESG scores which bond investors integrate with the existing credit ratings by themselves.

scholarly journals The Effect of Lease Accounting on Credit Rating and Cost of Debt: Evidence from Firms in Korea

2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (9) ◽  
pp. 154
Author(s):  
Younghee Park ◽  
Kyunga Na
Keyword(s):  
Regression Model ◽  
Credit Rating ◽  
Credit Ratings ◽  
Sample Selection ◽  
Least Square ◽  
Cost Of Debt ◽  
Probit Regression ◽  
Explanatory Variables ◽  
Operating Leases ◽  
The Cost

This study examines the effect of capital lease and operating lease options in accounting on credit ratings and the cost of debt using data for 13 years (2001 to 2013) on 6133 listed and unlisted domestic firms in Korea that recognize leases on financial statements. We use the Heckman two-stage model to control for sample selection bias from lease selection. The first stage is the probit regression in which the dependent variable is a dummy variable on the lease selection and the explanatory variables are factors known to affect lease selection. The second stage consists of the ordered probit regression model and the ordinary least square regression model where the dependent variables are credit rating and cost of debt, respectively. The results show that lease selection does not significantly affect corporate credit ratings—however, in terms of the cost of debt, enterprises that adopt operating leases spend considerably less than firms that engage in capital leases. Further analysis suggests that the results for credit ratings do not differ by listing status. However, the cost of debt for listed companies does not seem to differ by lease selection, while unlisted firms see a sharp decline in their cost of debt when they choose operating leases over capital leases.

scholarly journals The Linkage between ESG Performance and Credit Ratings: A Firm-Level Perspective Analysis

2017 ◽  
Vol 12 (9) ◽  
pp. 53 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alain Devalle ◽  
Simona Fiandrino ◽  
Valter Cantino
Keyword(s):  
Credit Rating ◽  
Credit Ratings ◽  
Cash Flows ◽  
Cost Of Debt ◽  
Firm Level ◽  
Public Firms ◽  
Clear Cut ◽  
Final Sample ◽  
Decision Making Processes ◽  
The Cost

This paper investigates the effect of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) performance on credit ratings. We argue that ESG factors should be considered in the credit analysis and the creditworthiness evaluation of borrowers because they affect borrowers’ cash flows and the likelihood of default on their debt obligations. Consequently, we develop our research by firstly reviewing the literature regarding ESG commitments within financial decision-making processes and then addressing the relation between ESG performance and the cost of debt financing. We reveal no unanimous results and no clear-cut boundaries on this matter yet. Secondly, to disentangle this relationship, which is not well defined by scholars, we empirically investigate the nexus between ESG performance and credit rating issues on a sample of 56 Italian and Spanish public firms for which ESG performance in 2015 was achieved. Our final sample includes 15 variables for 56 observations: 840 items are under analysis. Our findings suggest that ESG performance, especially concerning social and governance metrics, meaningfully affects credit ratings. We do not sort out significant results referring to environmental scores, so further research is needed to investigate this ever-growing matter and strengthen this considerable nexus.

Managerial Ability, Credit Ratings, and the Cost of Debt

2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kimberly Rodgers Cornaggia ◽  
Gopal V. Krishnan ◽  
Changjiang (John) Wang
Keyword(s):  
Credit Ratings ◽  
Cost Of Debt ◽  
Managerial Ability ◽  
The Cost

Institutional Reforms, Financial Development and Sovereign Debt: Britain 1690–1790

2006 ◽  
Vol 66 (4) ◽  
pp. 906-935 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nathan Sussman ◽  
Yishay Yafeh
Keyword(s):  
Financial Markets ◽  
Interest Rates ◽  
Financial Development ◽  
Sovereign Debt ◽  
Glorious Revolution ◽  
Institutional Reforms ◽  
Short Run ◽  
Per Capita ◽  
The Glorious Revolution ◽  
The Cost

We revisit the evidence on the relations between institutions, the cost of government debt, and financial development in Britain (1690–1790) and find that interest rates remained high and volatile for four decades after the Glorious Revolution, partly due to wars and instability; British interest rates co-moved with those in Holland; Debt per capita remained lower in Britain than in Holland until around 1780; and Britain did not borrow at lower rates than European countries with more limited protection of property rights. We conclude that, in the short run, institutional reforms are not rewarded by financial markets.

scholarly journals The Effect Of IFRS Non-Audit Consulting Services On Cost Of Debt: Evidence From Korea

2015 ◽  
Vol 31 (5) ◽  
pp. 1889
Author(s):  
Seung Uk Choi ◽  
Woo Jae Lee
Keyword(s):  
Interest Rate ◽  
Financial Reporting ◽  
Credit Rating ◽  
Financial Statements ◽  
Cost Of Debt ◽  
Reporting Standards ◽  
Listed Firms ◽  
Financial Reporting Standards ◽  
Consulting Services ◽  
The Cost

Korean listed firms have been required to disclose their financial statements based on the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) since 2011. Using pre- and post-IFRS reporting periods, we investigate the relation between IFRS non-audit consulting services provided by incumbent auditor and the cost of debt of its client for firms in the Korean Stock Market. We find evidence that IFRS non-audit consulting services are related to the decrease in cost of debt only during the post-IFRS period. In particular, receiving non-audit consulting services is positively associated with a clients bond credit rating and negatively associated with interest rate. The result generally holds when we use alternative proxies of IFRS non-audit consulting services. Finally, our results are robust to potential endogeneity issues in selecting non-audit services.

scholarly journals The Role of Credit Rating Agencies in Sovereign Debt Markets

2018 ◽  
pp. 146-166
Author(s):  
Aline Darbellay
Keyword(s):  
Sovereign Debt ◽  
Credit Rating ◽  
Global Financial Crisis ◽  
Debt Crisis ◽  
Credit Ratings ◽  
Credit Rating Agencies ◽  
Past Century ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Rating Agencies ◽  
Sovereign Credit Ratings

Since the global financial crisis of 2007-2009, the leading credit rating agencies (CRAs) have faced an increasing level of legal and regulatory scrutiny in the United States (US) and in the European Union (EU). This chapter sheds light on the promise and perils of sovereign credit ratings in the light of the European sovereign debt crisis. The leading CRAs have been blamed for providing investors with inaccurate credit ratings, facing inappropriate incentives and lack of oversight. This chapter addresses the evolving function performed by CRAs over the past century. Traditionally, CRAs are private market actors assessing the creditworthiness of borrowers and debt instruments. Since the first sovereign bond ratings assigned in 1918, the rating business has grown in size and importance. Sovereign ratings supposedly predict financial distress of governments. Their role has shifted over the last four decades. Although they have repeatedly been blamed for being poor predictors of sovereign debt crises, CRAs continue to play a key role in modern capital markets.

scholarly journals DETERMINANTS OF INTEREST RATES ON CORPORATE DEBT

2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (39) ◽  
pp. 264-275
Author(s):  
O. Tereshchenko ◽  
M. Stetsko ◽  
N. Tkachenko ◽  
N. Babiak
Keyword(s):  
Interest Rate ◽  
Interest Rates ◽  
Discount Rate ◽  
Cost Of Debt ◽  
Probability Of Default ◽  
Credit Risks ◽  
Debt Capital ◽  
Credit Default ◽  
Rate Calculation ◽  
The Cost

Abstract. The objective of this article is theoretical and methodological justifying of determining algorithm of the cost of debt capital for enterprises functioning in emerging markets (EM). The methods of research: analysis and synthesis, system analysis, comparative analysis, empirical and statistical methods, factor analysis.  Results.  In this article key determinants of interest rates on debt capital for enterprises and their impact on the procedure of discount rate calculation are determined. The issue of the cost of debt calculation of enterprises in condition of absence of complete information concerning systematic and non-systematic crediting risks is studied. Differences between interest rate on the loan fixed in credit agreement and expected by creditors the cost of debt are identified. It is determined that the key factor impacting the deviation level of market value of debt capital from the nominal, and respectively, deviation of the cost of debt from the cost of capital is probability of default (PD). At the minimum values of PD, the contract interest rate corresponds to the rate of cost of debt and it is advisable to use it for discount rate calculation. Critical analysis of alternative methodological approaches of the cost of debt calculation is made. Ways of integrating of market information concerning credit default swaps into the process of expected cost of debt calculation are justified. Factors of shadowing of rates of the cost of debt and ways of reducing of shadow transactions’ level in the credit market are identified. Conclusions. At high PD values, expected by market premium for default risk may exceed the contract interest rate, which necessitates constant monitoring of credit risks and appropriate adaptation of interest rates. In the paper the algorithm of such adaptation are proposed. It is shown that in the case of non-use of interest rates adjustment taking into account changes in PD, CDS and LGD, premium for creditors’ systematic risk can differ significantly from market values of similar enterprises (peer-group), and estimated value of the cost of debt can acquire negative values. Contract (promised) interest rate should be set in such way that the premium for systematic risk of providing debt capital will be at the level of similar companies and does not change significantly as a result of probability of default changes. If in practice the opposite situation occurs, it is the evidence of contract interest rate shadowing, absence of effective system of assessment  and management of credit risks. For solving the problem of interest rate transparency and filling of information gaps concerning PD borrowers in EM countries, should intensify CDS market. Keywords: debt capital, default probability, non-performing loans, credit default swap, credit spread, debt capital premium, shadow economy. JEL Classification E47 Formulas: 16; fig.: 0; tabl.: 3; bibl.: 15.

Earthly Reward to the Religious: Religiosity and the Costs of Public and Private Debt

2018 ◽  
Vol 53 (5) ◽  
pp. 2131-2160 ◽  
Author(s):  
Feng Jiang ◽  
Kose John ◽  
C. Wei Li ◽  
Yiming Qian
Keyword(s):  
Corporate Culture ◽  
Credit Ratings ◽  
Explanatory Power ◽  
Bank Loans ◽  
Soft Information ◽  
Cost Of Debt ◽  
Private Debt ◽  
Public And Private ◽  
The Cost ◽  
The Impact

We document that a firm’s culture, specifically, its religiosity, affects its cost of debt. Firms in higher-religiosity counties have higher credit ratings and lower debt costs. The impact of religiosity is stronger for firms with greater information asymmetry and during recessions. Further, religiosity has additional explanatory power for the cost of bank loans (but not the cost of public bonds) beyond its impact through ratings. This supports the argument that banks have superior abilities in pricing soft information, such as corporate culture. Finally, the impact of religiosity is stronger when the lender is a small bank.

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