Determinants of commercial banks' profitability in Malawi: a cointegration approach

This article investigates the relationship between market structure and profitability of commercial banks in Malawi using time series data between 1970 and 1994. It uses time-series techniques of cointegration and error-correction mechanism to test the collusion hypothesis and determine whether a long-run relationship exists between profits of commercial banks and concentration in the banking industry. The results obtained from the study support the traditional collusion hypothesis of a long-run positive relationship between concentration and performance. The dynamic short-run analysis also shows a high speed of adjustment in profitability from disequilibrium and indicates a positive response in profitability to a negative deviation from a long-run equilibrium.