A network model of financial system resilience

We examine the role of macroeconomic fluctuations, asset market liquidity, and network structure in determining contagion and aggregate losses in a stylized financial system. Systemic instability is explored in a financial network comprising three distinct, but interconnected, sets of agents - domestic banks, overseas banks, and firms. Calibrating the model to advanced country banking sector data, this preliminarily model generates broadly sensible aggregate loss distributions which are bimodal in nature. We demonstrate how systemic crises may occur and analyse how our results are influenced by firesale externalities and the feedback effects from curtailed lending in the macroeconomy. We also illustrate the resilience of our model financial system to stress scenarios with sharply rising corporate default rates and falling asset prices. (C) 2012 The Bank of England. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.