This study investigates the relation between capital restriction and credit assignment operations carried out by Brazilian banks. The analysis period, between June 2004 and June 2009 - when credit assignments increased almost by 20 times, in face of a 162% growth in credit volume - includes the 2008/2009 financial crisis, an exogenous shock to Brazilian financial system during which financial institutions faced difficulties due to the reduction in fund raising by means of free and inter-bank deposits. This also allows observing whether capital restriction effects on credit assignment are higher during financial crises. The results indicate that an increase in capital restriction - both equity and debt' - is related to the expansion of credit assignment operations of Brazilian banks.
Loan sales; co-obligation; credit; capital constraint; bank liquidity