Dr Parvaneh Salatin, Dr Maryam Khodaverdi Samani, Mr Sydrasol Hashemi,
Volume 14, Issue 51 (5-2023)
Abstract
Interest rate is one of the most important effective tools in policymaking. It affects investments, stability, economic growth and the real sector of the economy. The main purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of real interest rates on convergence of banks' efficiency in provinces. The results using spatial econometrics during the period 1400-2011 showed that the real interest rate has a positive and significant effect on the efficiency of banks in the provinces. . The absolute convergence rate was 0.211 and in conditional models was 0.222 and 0.228, which shows that in conditional condition, the convergence rate of provinces was higher. With the introduction of real interest rates, the pace of convergence has also increased. In other words, 11.2% in absolute convergence mode and 22.2% and 28.2% in conditional convergence mode are resolved from the economic gap of provinces to stable state. Also, economic growth has a positive and significant effect and human capital and ICT have a negative and significant effect on the convergence of banks' efficiency in the provinces.
