The role of the merchant banks in transforming Malta into a financial centre

Abstract

Financial centres have developed throughout the world to accommodate the flow of goods, services and securities among nations. International commercial transactions are conducted through them by institutions which facilitate the purchase and sale of foreign currencies, extend short-term credit to finance the exportation and importation of commodities, promote the sale of new and existing foreign and local securities and provide other services, including and legal and commercial advice. There are many cities throughout the world which render all or some of these services. However the number of cities which offer all of these services, including a money and a capital market on an international scale, is far more limited. A major financial centre is characterised by the presence of well-developed foreign exchange, money and capital markets, which may be international in scope. It is very difficult to make a distinction among the three markets which are, in practice, closely interrelated. The foreign exchange market of a financial centre assists in the transfer of payments among nations by creating a market for the purchase and sale of foreign currencies - liquid claims against assets of other countries. A money market represents a market for the exchange of financial assets of a relatively short period of maturity - less than one year - including time and demand deposits, acceptances, treasury bills and other short-term claims. The unique feature of a capital market is that it represents the trading place for relatively long-term investments, including government bonds and corporate stocks and debentures. Another factor which distinguishes a capital market from a money market is that a flow of long-term capital is likely to persist over an extended period of time, the direction of flow of short-term funds tends to be reversed quickly and frequently. Before turning to Malta, I would like to examine very briefly the Bahamas, which are a good example of a recently developed financial centre, and compare them with Malta.