This paper uses interest rate data that cover a longer period and that are based on more harmonised principles than those used by previous pass-through studies for the euro area. We find that stronger competition implies significantly lower interest rate spreads for most loan market products, as we expected. Using an error correction model (ECM) approach to measure the effect of competition on the pass-through of market rates to bank interest rates, we likewise find that banks tend to price their loans more in accordance with the market in countries where competitive pressures are stronger. Furthermore, where loan market.
