Financial Integration and International Business Cycle Co-movement: Wealth Effects vs. Balance Sheet Effects

Abstract

Abstract Different types of international financial integration have different effects on cross-country business cycle co-movement. International business cycle transmission through financial integration occurs through the wealth and balance sheet effects. The balance sheet effect leads to business cycle convergence, but the wealth effect leads to divergence. Using a crosssectional regression, this paper shows that cross-border credit market integration (debt) has a positive effect on co-movement, implying that the balance sheet effect is the main conduit for international transmission through credit markets. However, cross-border capital market integration (equity) has a negative effect, implying that the wealth effect is the main channel for international transmission through capital markets. By distinguishing between wealth and balance sheet effects, this paper resolves many discrepancies between some key empirical and theoretical findings in the open economy macro literature, between different studies in the theoretical literature, and between empirical studies that use a cross-sectional regression and those employing panel data.