A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF INTEREST RATES: FORMAL SECTOR BANKS, LOCAL MONEYLENDERS AND MICROFINANCE INSTITUTIONS

摘要

This study examines the interest rate differences paid to a bank, a Micro Finance Institution (MFI) and a local moneylender. In a multi-period lending contract, a borrower discounting the future income stream at a constant rate is willing to pay the highest interest rate to the local moneylender, comparatively lower rate to a MFI and the lowest to a formal sector bank. In other words, if the interest rate charged by each of the three lenders is the same, the repayment rate will be highest for a moneylender followed by a MFI and the lowest for a formal sector bank.