Financial sector leverage, in contrast, has already fallen to the average historic levels prior to the crisis (Exhibit 2). We find that in most countries, by the second quarter of 2009, the banking system had deleveraged to the point at which capital levels were at or above the average levels of the 15 years preceding the crisis. Whether more
capital is needed in addition to what banks have now accumulated remains unknown. And given the possibility of economy-wide deleveraging going forward, any such measures to boost capital requirements should be phased in very cautiously over time to minimize the reduction of credit provision