Analyzing the determinants of the performance of the banking sector: An applied study of a sample of Arab countries for the period from 1996 - 2017

Abstract

The aim of the research is to identify the external determinants of the performance of the banking sector, represented by growth rate in gross domestic product (GGDP) and inflation (I), and the internal determinants represented by size (S), operational efficiency (OE) and financial intermediation (FM) for the period (1996 to 2017), in some of the Arabic countries represented by (Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, the Emirates). To reach this goal, cross-sectional time-series models (Pooled regression model, fixed effects model, random effects model) were used. These models were compared using the restricted F test and Hausman's test, and it was found that the random effects model is the appropriate model to represent the relationship between the research variables.The results of the research revealed that there was no effect of the external determinants (growth in GDP and inflation) and financial intermediation as one of the internal determinants on the performance of banking sectors, expressed in return on capital (ROE), because the relationship between these variables was not significant, in addition to the existence of a negative impact of a significant indication of the volume on the performance of the banking sectors and a positive impact with a significant effect of the operational efficiency on the performance of that sector. The research recommended the necessity for the supervisory and supervisory authorities to pay special attention to size and operational efficiency for their clear impact on the performance of the banking sectors, the research sample.