Financial Intermediation and Economic Growth: A Semiparametric Approach

  • Thanasis Stengos
  • Zhihong Liang

Summary

In this paper we examine the effect of financial development on economic growth in an additive Instrumental Variable (IV)-augmented Partially Linear Regression (PLR) model using panel data of 66 countries for the period 1961-1995. Three common measures of financial development are used. Our results show that the effect of the exogenous component of a financial intermediary development index on economic growth depends greatly on the definition and measurement of that index. Financial development affects growth in a positive but non-linear way using a Liquid Liabilities index and in an almost linear way when using a Private Credit index. The effect becomes ambiguous when a Commercial-Central Bank index is used.

Keywords

Corporate Governance Instrumental Variable Financial Development Trade Credit Financial Intermediation 
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Copyright information

© Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2005

Authors and Affiliations

  • Thanasis Stengos
    • 1
  • Zhihong Liang
    • 1
  1. 1.Department of EconomicsUniversity of GuelphGuelphCanada

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