This useful new book contributes to the understanding of competition policy in the Mexican banking system and explains how levels of competition relate to banks' efficiency. It contrasts concepts of economic theory with empirical evidence to distill optimal policy decisions. The authors study the banking sector in Mexico, a developing country with a regulated and sound banking system and an industry with strong participation from global systemic banks. However, the Mexican banking system continues to have low financial deepening in the economy. Simultaneously, changes experienced by the Mexican financial system in recent decades have completely transformed its architecture, structure of ownership and control, and its competitive conditions, and have undeniably affected system performance and efficiency. This provides a natural laboratory in which to answer the questions of scholars, economists, and policymakers.
"Competition and Efficiency in the Mexican Banking Industry provides an excellent insight into the productivity and performance features of a major emerging economy. The text will provide an invaluable resource for academics, policymakers, and practitioners interested in banking system reform." - Philip Molyneux, Professor of Banking and Finance, Bangor University, United Kingdom
"Theories and evidence combine in this book to provide a rich and thorough analysis of the evolving features of the Mexican banking system over the last three decades. The book is a must for researchers, policymakers and practitioners around the globe seeking efficient ways to achieve the dual goal of competitive and stable banking systems."- Liliana Rojas-Suarez, Senior Fellow and Chair of the Latin America Shadow Financial Regulatory Committee, Center for Global Development, USA
"The degree of competition in banking is a crucial question for academics, policy makers, and the public at large, because it affects not only the interest rates paid by non-financial firms and consumers, but it also affects the availability of credit to entrepreneurs and new market entrants. Many strong claims have been made about the structure-ownership-efficiency-credit pricing and availability relationship in Mexico, but there have been few studies that have drawn on frontier methods to assess those claims. Competition and Efficiency in the Mexican Banking Industry is a notable exception: Castellanos, Del Ángel, and Garza-García have written a book based on reason and evidence, and have done so in a style that is admirably clear."- Stephen Haber, Peter and Helen Bing Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution and the A.A. and Jeanne Welch Milligan Professor, Stanford University, USA
