Showing papers on "Financial sector development published in 2018"

Revisiting the Finance-Inequality Nexus in a Panel of African Countries

Abstract: The study assesses the role of financial development on income inequality in a panel of 48 African countries for the period 1996 to 2014. Financial development is defined in terms of depth (money supply and liquid liabilities), efficiency (from banking and financial system perspectives), activity (at banking and financial system levels) and stability while, three indicators of inequality are used, namely, the: Gini coefficient, Atkinson index and Palma ratio. The empirical evidence is based on Generalised Method of Moments. When financial sector development indicators are used exclusively as strictly exogenous variables in the identification process, it is broadly established that with the exception of financial stability, access to credit (or financial activity) and intermediation efficiency have favourable income redistributive effects. The findings are robust to the: control for unobserved heterogeneity in terms of time effects and inclusion of time invariant variables as strictly exogenous variables in the identification process. The findings are also robust to the Kuznets hypothesis: a humped shaped nexus between increasing GDP per capita and inequality. Policy implications are discussed.

Does financial development improve environmental quality in Turkey? An application of endogenous structural breaks based cointegration approach

Abstract: The purpose of this paper is to investigate the long-run effect of financial sector development, energy use and economic growth on carbon emissions for Turkey, in presence of possible regime shifts over a period of 1960-2013.,Along with the conventional unit root tests, Zivot-Andrews unit root test with structural break has been employed to check the stationarity of variables. The cointegrating relationship between variables is investigated by using the autoregressive distributed lag bounds test and Hatemi-J threshold cointegration test.,The results confirm a cointegrating relationship between the variables. The long-run relationship between the variables has gone through two endogenous structural breaks in 1976 and 1986. Development of financial sector improves environmental quality whereas energy use and economic growth degrade it. The results challenge the validity of environmental Kuznets curve hypothesis in Turkish economy.,The study uses domestic credit to private sector as a proxy for development of financial sector. The model can be improved by constructing an index of financial development instead of using a single determinant as a proxy for financial development.,The study may pave the way for policy makers to capture important environmental pollutants in better way and develop effective and efficient energy and economic policies. This may make significant contribution to curbing CO2 emissions while sustaining economic growth.,This is the only study to examine long-run impact of financial sector development on carbon emissions, using the threshold cointegration approach. Hence, the study is a gentle request to reduce the possible omitted variable econometric estimation bias and fill the gap in the existing literature.

Does corruption throw sand into or grease the wheels of financial sector development

Abstract: This paper examines the relationship between corruption and financial sector development in 106 countries. Using dummy variables to capture different levels of corruption, and interaction terms to see if financial sector development depends on institutional structures, we find evidence to support the ‘sand the wheels’ hypothesis. The results suggest that a decline in corruption is associated with higher levels of financial sector development.

Interactions between tourism and financial sector development: evidence from Turkey

Abstract: This article aims to examine the interactions between tourism growth and financial development in Turkey, which is a top tourist destination and has developed a well-functioning financial system over the last decade. The results confirm a long-term association between tourism development and financial development; foreign direct investments and foreign trade also impact this interaction. According to the results, tourism expansion in Turkey is mainly influenced by financial markets. The results also reveal that in Turkey, changes in tourism volume precede changes in financial volume. Thus, the major finding of this study is that tourism development and financial development in Turkey have a long-term and reinforcing interaction.

Foreign Direct Investment Inflows and Financial Development in Central and Eastern European Union Countries: A Panel Cointegration and Causality

Abstract: Foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows have increased considerably in the globalized world as of the mid-1980s. The main objective of this research is to analyze interactions between FDI inflows and financial sector development in Central and Eastern European Union countries between 1996 and 2015 with panel data analysis. Our findings reveal that there is no cointegrating relationship among FDI inflows, investments of foreign portfolio, and the development of financial sectors, but there is a one-way causality from development of financial sectors to FDI inflows over the short run.

Effect of financial development on international trade in Africa: Does measure of finance matter?

Abstract: Although improving international trade on the back of financial sector development is one of the preoccupations of countries in Africa, empirical literature on financial development-trade nexus has...

Remittances and financial development in Latin America and the Caribbean countries: A dynamic approach

Abstract: Despite the importance of remittances in total international flows, the conclusion of the studies on the relationship between remittances and financial development, is still not completely unanimous, particularly in Latin America and the Caribbean. However, financial development matters for growth and poverty alleviation and financial inclusion have many beneficial effects for households. We examine the relationship between remittances and financial sector development with several dynamic panel data methods. We find a positive, significant, and robust bidirectional link between remittances and financial development for the panel of 32 countries.

Dynamics of Financial Development, Economic Growth, and Poverty Alleviation: The Indonesian Experience

Abstract: Although the poverty rate in Indonesia has been declining in the last several years, the rate of poverty decline is slowing down. In order to achieve its poverty reduction target within the stipulated time period, the government has stepped up efforts to enhance the contribution of the financial sector towards poverty reduction. This study aims to empirically explore the interlinkages between financial sector development and poverty reduction in Indonesia. Focusing on annual data covering the period from 1980 to 2015, the study adopts the Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) cointegration approach to examine the long-run relationship between the variables. The study found that there is a long-run relationship between financial development, economic growth, and poverty reduction in Indonesia. It also documented a unidirectional causality running from the financial sector to poverty reduction and a bidirectional causality between economic growth and poverty reduction. Therefore, policies to ensure the conducive growth of the financial sector would go a long way in promoting the economy, creating employment opportunities, and consequently accelerating poverty eradication.

Economic Growth, Financial Development and Income Inequality in BRICS Countries: Evidence from Panel Granger Causality Tests

Abstract: The purpose of this paper is to examine the causal relationship between economic growth, financial development and income inequality for the BRICS countries, namely; Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, using annual panel data covering the period 1995-2015. We construct a composite financial sector development index for these countries by applying the principal component method on the main four proxies of financial development, that is, domestic credit to private sector to GDP ratio, domestic credit given by banks sector to GDP ratio, M2/GDP, and stock market capitalization to GDP ratio. Results of Pedroni panel cointegration and Kao residual panel cointegration tests confirm the valid long-run cointegration relationship between the considered variables. Fixed effects estimation results show that GDP per capita growth has a positive and significant effect on income inequality, while the coefficient of its squared term has negative and significant effect on income inequality. Similarly, financial development index appears to have a positive and statistically significant effect on income inequality, while its squared term has negative and statistically significant effect on income inequality. Our empirical findings support the financial Kuznets hypothesis of an inverted U-shaped relationship between economic growth, financial sector development and inequality in the BRICS countries over the study period. Our results are robust by employing POLS and GMM estimators. Results of Granger causality test shown that there is a unidirectional causality running from financial development index to income inequality, but a bidirectional causality between inflation and income inequality is found. However, there is no causal relationship between income inequality and economic growth. These findings are expected to help policymakers to reduce inequality in these countries through the improvement of taxation policies financial system.

Interactive effects of human capital in finance–economic growth nexus in Sub-Saharan Africa

Abstract: The purpose of this paper is to examine the interactive effect of human capital in financial development–economic growth nexus. Relative to the quantity-based measure of enrolment rates, the main aim was to determine how quality of human capital proxied by pupil–teacher ratio influences the relationship between domestic financial sector development and overall economic growth.,Data are obtained from the World Development Indicators of the World Bank for 29 sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries over the period 1980–2014. The analyses were conducted using the system generalised method of moments within the endogenous growth framework while controlling for country-specific and time effects. The author also follows Papke and Wooldridge procedure in examining the long-run estimates of the variables of interest.,The key finding is that, while both human capital and financial development unconditionally promotes growth in both the short and long run, results from the interactive terms suggest that, irrespective of the measure of finance, financial sector development largely spurs growth on the back of quality human capital. This finding is also confirmed by the marginal and net effects where the interactive effect of pupil–teacher ratio and indicators of finance are consistently huge relative to the enrolment. Statistically, the results are robust to model specification.,While it is laudable for SSA countries to increase access to education, it is equally more crucial to increase the supply of teachers at the same time improving on the limited teaching and learning materials. Indeed, there are efforts to develop rather low levels of the financial sector owing to its unconditional growth effects. Beyond the direct benefit of finance, however, higher growth effect of finance is conditioned on the quality level of human capital. The outcome of this study should therefore reignite the recognition of the complementarity role of human capital and finance in economic growth process.,The study makes significant contributions to existing finance–growth literature in so many ways: first, the auhor extend the literature by empirically examining how different measures of human capital shape the finance–economic growth nexus. Through this the author is able to bring a different perspective in the literature highlighting the role of countries’ human capital stock in mediating the impact of financial deepening on economic growth. Second, the author makes a more systematic attempt to evaluate the relative importance of finance and human capital in growth process while controlling for several ancillary variables.

Foreign Banks and Financial Inclusion in Emerging and Developing Economies: An Empirical Investigation

Abstract: An important dimension of the effects of foreign bank presence on financial sector development relates to that of financial inclusion. Despite its significance, the empirical literature offers little evidence on the relationship between foreign banks and financial inclusion. We examine this relationship by focusing on impact of foreign banks on both the accessibility and usage dimensions of financial inclusion for a panel of 50 emerging and developing economies over 2004–2009. Our findings show that foreign banks have a strong positive impact in furthering financial access while tending to impede the usage dimension, which is robust to alternative methodologies and definitions. Copyright © 2018 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Fintech for Financial Inclusion: A Framework for Digital Financial Transformation

Abstract: Access to finance, financial inclusion and financial sector development have long been major policy objectives. A series of initiatives have aimed to increase access to finance and financial inclusion, but these have accelerated in the last decade as technological developments combined with strategic policy support show potential for progress beyond anything that has been achieved. The World Bank’s 2017 Global Findex shows that in the last three years, 515 million adults acquired a financial account, and between 2010 and 2017, 1.2 billion people opened an account with a formal financial institution or mobile financial services provider (including mobile money) for the first time. This is impressive progress by any measure, but much remains to be done: as of 2017, 1.7 billion people 16 years or older still did not have access to an account, some 31 percent of the world’s adult population. We argue that to reap the greatest benefits for financial inclusion and maximize the potential of FinTech, a framework that supports infrastructure and an enabling policy and regulatory environment, built on a strong foundation of digital identification and electronic payment systems, will support much broader digital financial transformation. The full potential of FinTech for financial inclusion may be realized with a strategic framework of underlying infrastructure and an enabling policy and regulatory environment to support digital financial transformation. Drawing from experiences in a range of developing, emerging and developed countries, our research suggests that the best approach is staged and progressive, and is focused on four main pillars. 1) The first pillar requires building digital identification and e-KYC systems to simplify access to the financial system. Once these are established for individuals and businesses, they provide a solid foundation not only for finance, but also for the development of the digital economy more broadly. 2) The second pillar requires digital payment infrastructure and open electronic payments systems, as these are the primary way to facilitate digital financial flows in an economy. 3) The third pillar combines the promotion of account opening and access with the electronic provision of government services, particularly for public transfers and payments, so as to scale up the use of digital finance and related services. By supporting access, payments and savings, together these three pillars provide a foundation for digital financial transformation and financial inclusion. 4) The fourth pillar – design of digital financial markets and systems – builds on the first three to support broader access to finance and investment, by underpinning use cases including securities trading, clearing and settlement, and other more sophisticated financial functions. There is a need for regulatory approaches that support and adapt to these four pillars. These regulatory changes are a major journey for any economy, but one that experience increasingly suggests has tremendous potential to transform financial inclusion and support digital economic development.

Financial sector development and income inequality in ASEAN-5 countries: does financial Kuznets curve exists?

Abstract: This study investigates the influence of financial sector development on income inequality in ASEAN-5 countries, namely Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand between 1989 and 2013. We have constructed the financial development index for the selected ASEAN countries by applying the principle component method for the major four proxies of financial development available in literature, namely; domestic credit by the banking sector, domestic credit to the private sector, money supply and stock market capitalisation. Pedroni panel cointegration and Kao residual panel cointegration approaches confirm the valid long run relationship between considered variables. Results of fixed-effect model indicate that the different proxies of financial development have a positive and significant impact on income inequality in ASEAN-5 countries, while the squared term of financial development proxies have a negative and significant impact on income inequality. These findings confirm the presence of financial Kuznets hypothesis in ASEAN-5 countries during the period under the study.

Role of Bank Lending in Financing Green Projects: A Dynamic Stochastic General Equilibrium Approach

Abstract: This paper develops an environmental dynamic stochastic general equilibrium (E-DSGE) model with heterogeneous production sectors. In particular, the model comprises some low-carbon emission firms that finance their investments and production only through banking loans, and high-carbon emission firms that finance their investments either with bank loans or by issuing equities. Moreover, government imposes intensity targets to reduce pollution, and high-carbon emission firms buy permits to allow their production. The model studies the transmission mechanism of technology, monetary, and financial shocks and finds that only a positive financial shock to green firms can boost production and credit for the green sector. A financial shock can be interpreted as the borrowing capacity of firms in terms of tightening or relaxing the enforcement of collateral constraints. In contrast, a positive technology shock and easier monetary policy lead only to a short output on impact, but in the longer term green firms experience losses. Later, the paper analyzes the impact of several macro prudential policies and finds that only differentiated capital requirements can help to sustain green financing.

Financial Barriers to Development of Renewable and Green Energy Projects in Asia

Abstract: The expansion of green renewable energy has been very limited in all the Asian countries, despite their various differences. The contributing factors are numerous, but, the financial factor has been the single major factor determining whether or not a country opts for such energy. This is notwithstanding awareness about the unsustainability of fossil energydominated energy mixes, both for environmental and economic reasons. The main culprit is Asia’s bank-dominated financial system with its underdeveloped capital market, which leaves Asian banks as the major source of funding for green renewable energy projects. Considering these projects as very risky with low rate of return on their invested capital, their reluctance to finance them has been the major barrier to the expansion of green renewable energy in Asia. Addressing the financing challenge is both possible and necessary to remove the barrier to green energy expansion in Asia.

Financial Development and Manufacturing Performance: The Nigerian Case

Abstract: The study focused on financial sector development and manufacturing performance in Nigeria over the period of 1981 to 2015. In the study, three indicators such as manufacturing capacity utilization, manufacturing output and manufacturing value added were employed to proxy manufacturing performance while money supply as a percentage of GDP, domestic credit to the private sector and liquidity ratio were employed to proxy financial development. The study observed that credit to the private sector and money supply positively but insignificantly enhanced capacity utilization and output, but negatively impacted value added of the manufacturing sector in the short run. There is slight improvement in the long where both money supply and credit to private sector exert positive impact manufactured output. Hence, it becomes crucial for commercial banks to make available certain percentage of their profits for industrial expansion in order to create linkages between both sectors.

Can Countries Manage Their Financial Conditions Amid Globalization

Abstract: This paper examines the evolving importance of common global components underlying domestic financial conditions. It develops financial conditions indices (FCIs) that make it possible to compare a large set of advanced and emerging market economies. It finds that a common component, “global financial conditions,” accounts for about 20 percent to 40 percent of the variation in countries’ domestic FCIs, with notable heterogeneity across countries. Its importance, however, does not seem to have increased markedly over the past two decades. Global financial conditions loom large, but evidence suggests that, on average, countries still appear to hold considerable sway over their own financial conditions—specifically, through monetary policy. Nevertheless, the rapid speed at which foreign shocks affect domestic financial conditions may also make it difficult to react in a timely and effective manner, if deemed necessary.

Development of the financial sector and growth of microfinance institutions: The moderating effect of economic growth

Abstract: This article analyzes the moderating effect the degree of economic growth has on the relationship between the development of the financial system and the microfinance industry activity. The hypotheses proposed establish that the influence of the development of the financial system on the activity of the microfinance sector will be different depending on the level of economic growth. The estimates were made using the System-GMM methodology for panel data, which allows controlling the unobservable heterogeneity and the problems of endogeneity. We find that the degree of economic growth affects the relationship between the financial sector development and microfinance activity. Under negative economic growth conditions, the development of the financial sector has a negative impact on the activity of the microfinance sector, but when economic growth is high, the development of the financial sector positively influences the activity of the microfinance sector.

Financial Sector Development, Openness, and Entrepreneurship: Panel Regression Analysis

Abstract: Entrepreneurship plays a major role in all countries’ economies through generating new jobs and innovation, and in turn making a contribution to the economic growth. Therefore, the determinants underlying entrepreneurship have become important for designing an environment that increases entrepreneurial activity. In this study, we considered it important to investigate the influence of factors such as financial sector development, foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows, and trade and financial openness on entrepreneurship, using information from 15 upper middle income and high-income countries over the 2001–2015 period. The findings reveal that the banking sector and capital market development, FDI inflows, and trade openness affect the total early-stage entrepreneurial activity positively. Furthermore, the crises had a negative impact on the entrepreneurship.

Financial Sector Development and Economic Growth: Empirical Evidence from Bangladesh

Abstract: For centuries, researchers have focused on the question “Whether the demand for growing financial sector is created by economic development or the financial development influences economic growth”. This paper empirically examines the association between financial development and economic growth in Bangladesh using time series data over the period of 1977-2016. In order to fulfill the main objective it has adopted Johansen Co-integration test and Granger-causality test in Vector Error Correction Model (VECM) framework. The study has found the significant long-run causality from financial development to economic growth in Bangladesh. Furthermore, the investigation confirmed that the disequilibrium in long-run GDP growth rate is corrected by 43.84% in short-run i.e. next following year. In addition, variance relation among the variables has examined by using variance decomposition model. The findings of this study have brought to light the propulsive role of financial development, particularly credit circulation to private sector, in economic activities in Bangladesh.

Green Finance in Bangladesh: Policies, Institutions, and Challenges

Abstract: This paper provides an overview of Bangladesh’s green financing status, with a particular focus on the renewable energy (RE) sector. Despite having great potential of renewable energy sources, the sector currently consists of a meager 1% share of the energy portfolio. The poor performance of the renewable energy sector is attributable to factors such as the lack of the required technology, a regulatory and institutional framework, and proper policies and incentives. This paper discusses both the potential for and the impediments to expanding renewable energy projects. Though the Bangladesh Bank has formulated green banking guidelines, the lack of capacities of banks and financial institutions, the lack of a proper understanding of the risks and returns of green projects, and the underdeveloped equity and bond markets hamper the expected growth of green projects in Bangladesh. As a case study, the paper analyzes various aspects of a successful Solar Home System program, which the Infrastructure Development Company Limited (IDCOL) implemented, to understand the risks and potential of a renewable energy project. The IDCOL’s solar homes program in Bangladesh, which has installed 4.13 million solar home systems so far, almost 90% of the total, is a good example of a public–private partnership in green financing. However, this successful program is now on the brink of abandonment due to huge amount remaining default with the customers which is attributed to several reasons such as uncoordinated grid electricity expansion, a lack of coordination among the respective agencies, the failure of the program’s commercialization, poor financial governance, and the absence of a national policy oversight body. Therefore, the capacity building of banks and financial institutions, the development of bond and equity markets, a well-coordinated policy oversight body, and mainstreaming green finance are some of the key policy issues that Bangladesh needs to address to promote green financing and achieve sustainable development.

Green energy finance in India: Challenges and solutions

Abstract: The paper presents a granular understanding of the associated challenges of mobilizing such finances, drawing from the Indian perspective. It contributes to the present understanding by identifying the emerging pathways of financing renewables and the inherent challenges. The findings are quite revealing. Financing of renewable energy in India continues to face multiple conundrums, largely entrenched with the nature of current financial market in India in general, such as short tenure of loans, high capital costs, and lack of adequate debt financing etc., as well as with the sector specific issues of the renewable energy sector. The success of introducing innovative financing mechanisms and instruments requires necessary conditions to prevail.

Institutional Quality and Financial Sector Development: Empirical Evidence from Nigeria

Abstract: In view of the indispensable role of financial sector in both emerging and developing economies, there has been a notable spotlight on the financial sector development over the years in most African countries. Nonetheless, there are only a few studies on this topical issue, particularly for Nigeria. Hence, this study examines the long – run and short – run dynamic relationship between institutional quality and financial development in Nigeria over the period of 1984 – 2015 using Auto-Regressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) bounds test approach to cointegration. Using two different indicators (Private credit and M2) of financial development, the results consistently show that institutional factors do not have significant effect on financial development in the long – run as well as in the short – run. Furthermore, the empirical evidence indicates that regulatory quality and governance system (institutions) do not necessarily contribute to financial development in a feeble institutional environment, specifically in Nigeria. Thus, our findings suggest that whilst weak institutions could increase the risk of limiting the functioning of financial system, good governance and strong institutions are the essential ingredient of financial development in Nigeria. As a consequence, policies aimed at strengthening the quality of institutions and governance should form the major policy thrust of government (policy makers). These could help improving financial sector development in Nigeria.