The Social Costs of Bank Market Power: Evidence from Iran

The main objective of this research is to assess the degree of competition in the selected banks as representatives of Iran''s banking system over the period of 2007 to 2011. Also the welfare loss due to market power of banks is calculated using Harberger triangle. The results show that market power of banking system in Iran in 2007 had the net social cost equivalent to 0.84 percent of gross domestic product of Iran. This cost has reached its peak in 2009 and has got a downward trend over the following years. In 2011 it has reached to 0.97% of gross domestic product of Iran.