European financial integration: some lessons from Italy
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.13133/2037-3643/11117Keywords:
Italian banking system, price discrimination, European integration, MezzogiornoAbstract
This paper proposes an oligopolistic model with price discrimination as consistent with the known traditional qualities of the Italian banking system. The paper presents the background characteristics of the Italian banking system that are seen to underlie this approach: the analysis is restricted to commercial banks. Interest rate data show large regional disparities since 1969 to date. The model is consistent with the prediction that competition will shrink regional interest rate differentials, and the spread between loan and deposit rates in the Mezzogiorno.
JEL: F15, F36, G21