Analysis of distinct asymmetries in financial integration-growth nexus for industrial, emerging and developing countries

Abstract

This paper examines the threshold conditions in financial integration and growth relationship for a large set of threshold variables and different income group of countries employing Panel Smooth Transition Regression Models. Except developing countries, our findings strongly indicate nonlinear dynamics and imply that the impact of financial integration on growth is asymmetric depending on a number of indicators such as countries' degree of institutional quality, financial sector development, trade openness, budget deficit, inflation volatility and the level of financial integration. Our results show that these threshold effects substantially differ for emerging and industrial countries. As far as whole set of countries is concerned, our findings imply that countries having developed financial systems, qualified institutions and stable macroeconomic environment benefit from financial integration. Moreover, threshold effects are stronger and different for emerging countries compared to the industrial countries. Unlike emerging economies, higher levels of financial integration and trade openness decrease benefits from financial openness for the industrial countries. Besides, high fiscal deficit has more pronounced negative effect on the growth of the industrialized countries compared to emerging economies and other indicators. © 2020 John Wiley & Sons Ltd