Fueling the bottom line: Decoding the effects of oil on banking performance in net oil-importing economies

Banks play a pivotal role in the financial sector, assuming critical functions such as facilitating the monetary policy transmission mechanism and acting as intermediaries between savers and borrowers. Meanwhile, oil represents a fundamental input for economic activities, and its inherent volatility serves as a significant catalyst for economic instability. Given the critical roles of banking institutions and oil in the economy, their relationship garners attention from various stakeholders. The growing body of literature has examined the nexus between oil and banking performance. However, existing research has predominantly concentrated on either oil-exporting jurisdictions or country-specific analyses. Hence, the present study endeavors to bridge this gap in the literature by investigating the intricate dynamics between oil and banking performance, specifically in net oil-importing countries. The dynamic panel method is employed. The findings indicate that oil has direct and indirect effects on the profitability of banks operating through transmission channels.