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This study focuses on the role of financial development in the economic growth of Central, Eastern and South-Eastern European (CESEE) countries in the post-communist era (1995)(1996)(1997)(1998)(1999)(2000)(2001)(2002)(2003)(2004)(2005)(2006)(2007)(2008)(2009)(2010)(2011)(2012)(2013)(2014), which coincides with the opening up of financial markets to foreign investors and the global financial crisis. We investigate whether economic growth in CESEE countries has benefited from the presence of foreign-owned banks. To this end, we introduce some refined measures of financial development and control for banks' financial strength. Our results challenge the idea that bank credit fosters economic growth and that foreign-owned banks are indisputably a positive addition to local markets able to foster economic growth.

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Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the main predictors of university students’ intention to invest in a pension fund: an understanding of how young people perceive retirement planning is relevant for its policy implications. Design/methodology/approach The authors apply the theory of planned behaviour (TPB) proposed by Ajzen (1985) which explains how human behaviour is guided, and provides a framework to explore the underlying beliefs that affect one’s behaviours. Findings The evidence on a sample of Italian university students highlights that the TPB predictors, pension knowledge, money management and the highest level of financial literacy, positively influence their intention to invest in a pension fund. Research limitations/implications Although the authors are aware of the limitations of the analysis (limited to a specific country and to a specific financial product), the authors believe that the study has the merit of offering a number of ideas for further research. In fact, there are few contributions in the literature that identify the intention of young people to save for retirement. The study sheds light on this important issue. However, because it is limited to Italian university students, its findings cannot be generalised. Practical implications The study can be used by regulators, financial educators, counsellors and public institutions to increase the propensity of young people to plan for their future and guide them towards attitudes and behaviours most likely to increase their savings for retirement. Social implications The evidence suggests that regulators, institutions and educators should improve the information that is provided to families first and to the younger generations – at school, for instance – about the functioning of the pension system. The survey’s findings emphasise that university students are generally unaware of the many reforms to the system while believing that their state pensions will be sufficient to maintain a retirement standard of living that is the same as the standard of living achieved during their working lives. Originality/value In the authors’ knowledge, there are not studies that focus on the youngs’ intention to invest in a pension fund. The authors believe that millennials are the most hitted by the Fornero’s reform and understand which predictors affect this intention can allow to drive the decision in investing in these important financial tools.

In response to post-crisis regulatory reforms, the European banking sector has undergone significant changes that have led banks to reconsider their strategies, structures and operations. Based on a sample of over 3,000 banks from 32 European countries during the period 2010-2017, we identify banks' business models based on cluster analysis and track their evolution. We then apply a logistic regression and find that banks with higher risk and lower profitability are more likely to change their business model. Employing a propensity score matching approach, we investigate the effect of migration on bank performance and find that changing the business model affects banks positively (i.e. migrating banks increase their profitability, stability and cost efficiency). The effect of migration differs depending on the target business model. When switches are a consequence of being acquired or motivated by regulatory compliance, the positive impact remains.

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This paper provides an in-depth analysis of SME access to capital markets across Eurozone countries. First, we determine which factors -at firm and country level -influence the likelihood of SME access to market-based finance. Second, we construct an index of market suitability to indicate the percentage of firms potentially fit for market-based finance. Our results suggest that while several Eurozone countries have realised SMEs' 'potential' for capital market financing, a large number of firms fit for market-based finance remain unexploited. We also find that overall business conditions -measured by GDP growth, the development degree of domestic financial markets, and the quality of the legal and judicial enforcement systemconsiderably influence a firm's market suitability. In the studied period (2009)(2010)(2011)(2012)(2013)(2014), macroeconomic and institutional factors tended to reduce the likelihood of SMEs accessing marketbased finance in most countries in our sample.