DETERMINANTS OF NON-PERFORMING LOANS: A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS

Abstract

We investigate the factors that contributed to the increase in non-performing loans (NPLs) in large state-owned commercial banks over the period 1999-2001 and 1996-1998 in Turkey and Pakistan respectively. This paper uses the survey-based methodology to investigate the determinants of NPLs. An ordered probit model analysis is then applied to the ordinal data obtained from the questionnaire of credit managers. We find that variables measuring external government intervention and loans to insiders and poor credit risk assessment influenced NPL in Turkey. We also show that communication facilities provided to credit managers credit managers' years of service in the banks and years of experience in the bank of credit managers were the significant determinants of non-performing loans in Pakistan.