Determinants of the Real Impact of Banking Crises: A Review and New Evidence

We examine which variables are robust in explaining cross-country differences in the real impact of systemic banking crises. Based on a meta-analysis, we identify 21 variables frequently used as determinants of the severity of crises. Employing nine proxies for crisis severity, we find that large current account imbalances are the most robust determinant of the real impact of banking crises. Countries with a high GDP per capita have more prolonged downfalls after the occurrence of a banking crisis. Exchange rate developments and pre-crisis GDP growth are related to the peak-to-trough impact of a banking crisis.