Financial Development and Economic Growth: International Evidence

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the financial development and economic growth in underdeveloped countries. An observed characteristic of the process of economic development over time, in a market-oriented economy using the price mechanism to allocate resources, is an increase in the number and variety of financial institutions and a substantial rise in the proportion not only of money but also of the total of all financial assets relative to GNP and to tangible wealth. Typical statements indicate that the financial system somehow accommodates—or, to the extent that it malfunctions, it restricts—growth of real per capita output. Such an approach places emphasis on the demand side for financial services; as the economy grows it generates additional and new demands for these services, which bring about a supply response in the growth of the financial system. In this view, the lack of financial institutions in underdeveloped countries is simply an indication of the lack of demand for their services.

The relationship between financial sector development and economic growth is a crucial issue for both developing and developed nations. To keep up with the changing world economy, there is need for developing countries like Kenya to develop their financial sectors. Kenya’s financial sector development has had a major role in its economic growth and this study provides a selected review of the literature and the relationship between Kenya’s financial sector and its economic growth. Numerous studies have been done on the effect of the financial sector on economic growth and the general conclusion is that the financial sector plays a central role in economic development and growth of the country. However, there is a limitation of empirical and theoretical work supporting the concept in developing countries. Most of the studies done focus on the direction of causality between finance development and economic growth and their relationship. For this reason, the study set out to analyze the influence of financial sector development on Kenya’s economic growth. The Neo-classical theory of growth was used to inform the study variables; banking sector, export market and economic growth. The study adopted an ex-post facto research design with Ordinary Least Square (OLS) method. The data used was secondary in nature obtained from the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics from the period 2010-2019. The findings revealed that there was a positive influence of financial sector development on economic growth. This implies that financial sector development promotes economic growth in Kenya. In policy terms, the findings, imply that Kenya can accelerate economic growth by improving the financial sector since financial development can be an engine of growth in this country. The study recommended that other major components of the financial sector development apart from the two studied; banking sector and export market, in this paper should be studied and put up in place well -structured policies that will support them and further develop the financial sector with the aspirations under the Kenya Vision 2030. Keywords : Financial sector development, Economic growth DOI: 10.7176/RJFA/12-2-01 Publication date: January 31 st 2021

A study of the impact of military expenditures on economic growth and development examines the differences in the results of previous studies which led to contradictory conclusions. The authors find that these differences are due to sample variations, specificational choices, and the different time periods examined. The data indicate that there is no consistent, statistically significant connection between military spending and economic growth. Augmentation of the models suggests that military expenditures neither help nor hurt economic growth to any significant extent. 2 tables.

In this study, we have explored the dynamic causal relationship between financial development and economic growth in Uganda during the period from 1980 to 2015. Although the finance-growth nexus debate has been raging for decades, Uganda, similar to many other low-income sub-Saharan African countries, has not yet received adequate coverage on the subject. To eliminate the variable omission bias associated with some previous studies, two intermittent variables, namely savings and inflation, have been included alongside financial development and economic growth in a multivariate Granger-causality setting. In addition, five proxies of financial sector development have been used in the current study, namely money supply to GDP, deposit money bank assets as a percentage of bank assets, liquid liabilities to GDP, private credit by deposit money banks to GDP, and bank deposits to GDP. Using the ARDL approach, the findings of the study reveal that the direction of causality between financial development and economic growth in Uganda is not clear-cut. It varies from one model to the other, depending on the proxy used for financial development. When financial development is proxied by liquid liabilities to GDP and bank deposits to GDP, a unidirectional causal flow from financial development to economic growth is found to prevail. When deposit money bank assets to bank assets ratio is considered a proxy of financial development, astrong bi-directional causal relationship between financial development and economic growth is found to predominate. However, when money supply to GDP and private credit by deposit money banks to GDP are used as proxies, no causality is found to exist between financial development and economic growth in either direction. Based on these results, it is recommended that when drafting policies aimed at boosting economic growth, policymakers should target growth-led financial development proxies as policy implementation outcomes may vary depending on the targeted financial development proxy.

This paper examines causality between financial development and economic growth for 10 Southern African Development Community (SADC) countries for the period 1994 to 2013. We employed the vector autoregression (VAR) approach to conduct Granger causality tests to determine the direction of causality relationship between financial development and economic growth. Before conducting Granger causality tests, we performed the following prerequisite tests: unit root tests to test for data stationarity, and cointegration tests to examine short-and long-run relationships between financial development and economic growth. Our results provide evidence of two of the three main views on the link between financial development and economic growth: the supply leading theory (financial development causes economic growth or positive causality); and the demand following response (economic growth causes financial development or reverse causality). Specifically, our empirical results suggest that when broad money (BM) and direct credit (DC) are used as measures of financial development, there is evidence of the demand following response for 50% and 60% of the sample, respectively. Results also showed that financial development caused economic growth in 20% and 30% of the sample when BM and DC are used to measure financial development, respectively. No evidence of causality was recorded for 30% and 10% of the countries when BM and DC were used to measure financial development, respectively. In light of the dominance of reverse causality and the presence of no causality for some countries, we conclude that financial liberalization failed to increase economic growth for 80% and 70% of the sample when broad money and domestic credit were used to measure financial development, respectively. The differences in the direction of causality across SADC countries could be due to a wide variation in the policies governing the financial sector, colonial origin and other institutional factors which shape the laws governing how banks and other financial institutions operate in different countries. Our findings suggest different policy routes for countries within the SADC region with regard to how they can grow their economies. Specifically, countries for which the reverse causality result holds should direct more resources towards stimulating economic growth through channels other than financial development in order to develop their financial sectors. On the other hand, we recommend that countries for which the financial development leading to economic growth result holds should channel more of their resources towards growing their financial sectors in order to drive economic growth.

This study aims to investigate the causal relationship between financial development and economic growth in the UK using quarterly data from 1963q1 to 2015q1. Three variables were used as proxies for financial sector development, namely, ratios of broad money supply to GDP, ratios of private sector credit to GDP and the ratios of stock market capitalization to GDP. Economic growth was measured using real GDP per capita. In order to achieve stated aim, the study employed the Johansen Cointegration test and the Granger causality test within a vector error correction framework (VEC) to test for the existence (or not) of a long run relationship as well as the direction of causality between financial development and economic growth. The result from the Cointegration test indicates that there is a stable long run equilibrium relationship between financial development and economic growth in the UK. The Granger causality test presents evidence of a bidirectional causality. This suggests that financial development and economic growth are mutually causal, that is, causality runs from both side which is in line with the feedback hypothesis in the literature which argue that financial development and economic growth exhibits a two-way causal relationship. In terms of each individual variable, the study finds that while bank credit to the private sector and stock market capitalisation Granger cause GDP per capita, GDP per capita on the other hand, Granger causes broad money supply.

Purpose– This paper aims to survey the existing literature on the causal relationship between market-based financial development and economic growth – in both developed and developing countries, highlighting the theoretical and the empirical evidence.Design/methodology/approach– The paper divides financial development into bank-based and market-based financial development, and it closely reviews the international literature on the relationship between market-based financial development and economic growth.Findings– The direction of causality between market-based financial development and economic growth varies from one country to another, depending on various country-specific characteristics, data sets and the methodology used by the researcher. On balance, there is predominant support for the supply-leading response, where the development of the market-based financial sector is expected to precede the development of the real sector.Originality/value– This review differs fundamentally from previous reviews, in that it divides financial development into bank-based and market-based financial development, and it focuses closely on market-based financial development and economic growth. The majority of the previous studies on this subject failed to make such a distinction, thereby focusing mainly on the general causal relationship between the overall financial development and economic growth. To the best of the authors' knowledge, this may be the first review of its kind to survey the existing research in detail on the causal relationship between market-based financial development and economic growth, in both developed and developing countries.

Does financial sector develop in line with its nature? Does part of financial development, which is in line with its nature, approve mainstream opinion in regard to finance-growth relationship? By considering financialization phenomenon within an ARDL-Bounds testing approach, this study re-examined the causal relationship between financial development and economic growth in the USA during the period 1961–2012. Using Principal Component Analysis (PCA), indicators of financial sector development (FD) and financialization (FIN) were created. After that, Granger causality test was applied using the ARDL-ECM methodology. According to the results: 1) a bilateral relationship between financial development and economic growth was observed; while financial development had negative and significant impact on economic growth, the influence of economic growth on financial development was not significant although it was positive; 2) financialization significantly affected financial development through efficiency channel. Obtained results can be used by policy makers in different countries, although the study is applied for the USA. JEL Classification: O11; O16; O51; G20.

This study aims to analyze and compare the long-run causal relationship between renewable energy consumption and economic growth for developed countries with that for less-developed countries to derive implications for long-term renewable energy policy. This study uses 1990–2010 data on 31 OECD countries (developed countries) and 49 non-OECD countries (less-developed countries) in the multivariate panel vector error correction model. The results show that the conservation hypothesis of a causal relationship between renewable energy consumption and economic growth is valid in the long run for OECD countries, and the feedback hypothesis, for non-OECD countries. This finding indicates that for developed countries, renewable energy has not played an important role in economic growth but has instead been growing by leaning on economic growth. By contrast, for less-developed countries, renewable energy has been playing an important role as a production input; similarly, economic growth has led to increased renewable energy consumption. As their economies grow, renewable energy consumption will increase in both developed countries and less-developed countries. However, policies to increase renewable energy consumption will encourage economic growth only in less-developed countries. Consequently, developed countries need to adopt a selection and concentration strategy, and less-developed countries need to adopt intensive promotion policies for renewable energy.

PurposeThis paper aims to investigate the possible co‐integration and the direction of causality between financial development, international trade and economic growth in India.Design/methodology/approachAnnual data covering the 1965‐2004 period have been used to investigate co‐integration and Granger causality tests between financial development, international trade, and growth after employing unit root tests to see if the variables under consideration are stationary.FindingsResults reveal that there is a long‐run equilibrium relationship between financial development, international trade and real income growth in the case of India. Furthermore, unidirectional causality was investigated that runs from real income to exports and imports, from exports to imports, M2 and domestic credits, from M2 to imports, from imports to domestic credits. Bidirectional causality has also been obtained between real income and M2, and between real income and domestic credits. Finally, no direction of causality has been obtained between M2 and domestic credits.Research limitations/implicationsExpanded data can be used for further comparison.Practical implicationsThis study has shown that the supply‐leading and the demand‐following hypotheses cannot be inferred for the Indian economy alone themselves. And furthermore, the export‐led and the import‐led hypotheses again cannot be inferred for the Indian economy based on the sample period, 1965‐2004.Originality/valueThis study is the first of its kind which investigates the possible co‐integration and the direction of causality between the financial development, international trade and economic growth triangle not only in the case of India but also in the relevant literature to the best of one's knowledge.

Financial development, which is considered to be one of the reasons for economic growth, is one of the issues discussed in the literature in recent years. Financial development is defined as the increase in the financial instruments used in a country and the intensity of the use of these instruments. More generally, it is also possible to define the size of the financial system and the change in size and quality and quantity. The history of theoretical and empirical studies on whether there is a causal relationship between financial development and economic growth goes back to ancient times. The concepts of economic growth and economic development are important for both developed and developing countries at the beginning of each period. Because these concepts are not only economic, but also a longterm process involving social and political parameters. The idea that financial market development can be a policy tool in increasing economic growth accelerated the development of financial markets. However, the relationship between financial market development and economic growth has led to controversy. To reveal the direction of causality between financial development and economic growth is very important in terms of determining policy to increase economic growth. However, although the empirical studies on this issue are different in terms of results, there is no consensus on the direction of causality. The aim of this study is to investigate the relationship between financial development and economic growth for the transition economies through the panel Granger causality test developed by Dumitrescu and Hurlin (2012). The annual data used covers the period 1995-2018. As a result of the study, a one - way causality relationship was found in transition economies from financial development to economic growth. This result shows that the hypothesis of supply prediction in these countries is valid.

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to consider the heterogeneous relationship among financial development, foreign direct investment (FDI) and economic growth, examining the possible directions of causality among them in both the short and long runs.Design/methodology/approachA sample of the G-20 countries over the period 1970–2016 is utilized. A vector error-correction model is used to consider the possible directions of causality among financial development, FDI and economic growth.FindingsResults suggest a cointegrating relationship among the three series. Although short-run links among the variables are mostly non-uniform, both financial development and FDI matter in the determination of long-run economic growth.Practical implicationsAttention must be paid to policies that promote financial development. This, in turn, calls for fostering incentives to guarantee continued support to liberalize the economy and promoting capital openness. Additionally, financial infrastructure should be improved to improve financial innovation. The establishment of a well-developed financial market, including well-functioning banks and other financial institutions, can facilitate further investment and an easier means of raising capital to support the activities of FDI. Economic growth can ultimately be elevated through both financial development and FDI.Originality/valueThe study considers a sample of the G-20 countries, which have received relatively little attention in the existing literature. In addition, the study concurrently analyses the trivariate causal relationship among financial development, FDI and economic growth, a topic on which there has been a dearth of research.

Bu çalışmanın amacı, 1980-2017 dönemi için Üst Orta Gelirli ülkelerde ekonomik büyüme ve finansal gelişme arasındaki ilişkiyi Toda-Yamamoto'nun panel (FMOLS, DOLS ve GMM) ve panel Granger-nedensellik testleri kullanarak araştırmaktır. Sonuçlar, özel sektöre verilen yurtiçi kredinin (GSYİH yüzdesi) ve geniş paranın (GSYİH yüzdesi) ekonomik büyüme üzerinde olumlu bir etkisi olduğunu doğruladı. Sonuç olarak finansal gelişmenin ekonomik büyümeyi hızlandırdığı söylenebilir. Ayrıca Ürdün, Fas, Belize, Botsvana, Çin, Guatemala, Paraguay, Peru ve Tayland'da ekonomik büyümeden finansal gelişmeye doğru tek yönlü bir nedensellik ilişkisi bulunmuştur. Cezayir, Mısır, Suudi Arabistan, Dominik Cumhuriyeti, Malezya, Güney Afrika ve Türkiye'de finansal gelişmeden büyümeye doğru tek yönlü nedensellik ilişkisi bulunmaktadır. Buna karşılık Umman, Tunus, Brezilya, Mauritius ve Meksika'da nedensellik ilişkisi bulunmamaktadır.

The research examined the influence of the fundamental exchange rate misalignment and Least Developed Countries (LDCs) in Asia and Africa’s financial development on CO2 emissions in Asian countries using panel data from 1970 to 2021. The methodology consists of ARDL bound testing and PMG/ARDL estimators with dynamic OLS estimators. The results reveal that the long-run real exchange rates for least developed countries (LDCs) are expected to rise in CO2 emissions in Asian and African countries with improved trade and net foreign asset positions. The relative productivity and trade openness also increase the exchange rate, which also plays a vital role in the growth of CO2 emissions. Except for Egypt, all least developed countries (LDCs) currencies are overpriced throughout the research period at the same time; it would be harmed by increased openness, foreign direct investment inflows, and currency misalignment. Overvaluation harms Bahrain’s economic growth. In comparison, undervaluation helps Egypt that currency misalignment does not affect financial growth in any LDCs over the long run. In the short-run, more real investment, net foreign assets, and official assistance inflows would enhance financial growth in Qatar, Bahrain, Singapore, and South Korea. In contrast, trade openness would slow it down in Egypt and Kuwait. The study suggested that the poor economic performance is due to RER misalignment, which occurs when exchange rate policies are improper and causes a rise in CO2 emissions in many developing countries.

The Direction of Causality between Financial Development and Economic Growth in Tanzania. An Empirical Analysis