INFLUENCE OF CASH FLOWS WITHIN A BANK ON ITS LIQUIDITY
Authors: Meshcheryakov Andrey 
Published: October 2021

The purpose of the article is to determine an objective approach to the funding of assets from various resources and to assess the impact of cash flows within a bank on its liquidity position. Methods of theoretical generalization and comparison to define an economic substance of the bank asset and liability management, a systematic approach to consider the management of assets and liabilities as interrelated elements of a single system; the method of analysis and synthesis to study liquidity indicators, the method of tabular presentation of data, and the abstract-logical method to substantiate theoretical generalizations and conclusions were used. The issue of maintaining liquidity during the global downturn requires priority attention from the management and analytical service. Central banks of all countries in the world establish, maintain strict control and regulate various indicators of bank liquidity, trying to avoid a banking crisis, since the bankruptcy of one or several banks may lead to destruction of the payment system and cause major problems in the economy. Most modern banks which are focused on long-term activities, when resolving “profitability – liquidity” dilemma, give preference to ensuring a sufficient level of liquidity even in the face of a possible loss of certain income. Despite constant changes and improvements in the liquidity ratio system, modern banks mainly use accounting data for the liquidity ratio calculation disregarding the analysis of the bank’s cash flows which should be carried out in accordance with the basic principles of financial management, the principle of comparing asset-liability maturities and risk levels in particular. Our view is that in analyzing all banking standards and ratios, not only the ratios of various assets and liabilities should be calculated based on the bank’s balance sheet data, but also the sources of formation of certain assets from various resources should be taken into account. In our opinion, it is extremely important to have regard to the situation when the bank’s short-term liabilities (liabilities at call) form its long-term and medium-term requirements. In order to find out an actual situation with the bank’s liquidity position, we should analyze which short-term liabilities were used to form its loan and securities portfolios, as well as other risky and long-term assets.
In our opinion, this can be done by making the following adjustments:
1. To reduce the amount of liquid assets by the amount of liabilities at call placed in risky assets. This approach is based on the fact that liabilities at call, which can be withdrawn at any time, are not liquid. In a situation when it is required to make urgent payments, there will be a need for urgent borrowing of additional funds. This may either be difficult to do, or it may be done at an unfavorable interest rate.
2. To increase the amount of short-term liabilities by the amount of that part thereof that was used to form long- and medium-term requirements. This will also reduce the liquidity ratio, but provide the necessary information about its actual level, taking into account the risk formation of the bank’s asset portfolio.
An absolute liquidity ratio calculated using the balance sheet data was 63%. When it was adjusted assuming that the bank’s liabilities at call were placed in medium and long-term assets, a decrease by 35% was obtained after reducing the amount of liquid assets, and this figure was decreased by 20% when the amount of short-term liabilities was increased in the calculation. In order to find out an actual situation with the bank’s liquidity position, it is proposed to reduce the amount of liquid assets by the amount of liabilities at call placed in risky assets, or increase the amount of short-term liabilities by the amount of that part thereof that was used to form long- and medium-term requirements.