LAUSR

We study the effects of minimum capital requirements, capital buffers, liquidity regulation and loan loss provisions on the incentives of bankers to exert effort and take excessive risk. These regulations impact differently the behavior of bankers. Capital regulation, liquidity requirements and traditional loan loss provisions for expected losses provide adequate incentives to bankers. Capital requirements are the most powerful instrument. Counter-cyclical (so-called dynamic) loan loss provisions may provide bankers with incentives to gamble. The results help informing the ongoing debate about the harmonization of banking regulation and the implementation of Basel III.