OECD Economics Department Working Papers

ISSN :
1815-1973 (online)
DOI :
10.1787/18151973
Hide / Show Abstract
Working papers from the Economics Department of the OECD that cover the full range of the Department’s work including the economic situation, policy analysis and projections; fiscal policy, public expenditure and taxation; and structural issues including ageing, growth and productivity, migration, environment, human capital, housing, trade and investment, labour markets, regulatory reform, competition, health, and other issues.
 

International Capital Mobility and Financial Fragility - Part 3. How Do Structural Policies Affect Financial Crisis Risk?

Evidence from Past Crises Across OECD and Emerging Economies You or your institution have access to this content

Authors:
Rudiger Ahrend1, Antoine Goujard1
Author Affiliations
  • 1: OECD, France

Publication Date
12 June 2012
Bibliographic information
No.:
966
Pages
48
DOI
10.1787/5k97fmtj5vtk-en

Hide / Show Abstract

This paper examines how structural policies can influence a country's risk of suffering financial turmoil. Using a panel of 184 developed and emerging economies from 1970 to 2009, the empirical analysis examines which structural policies can affect financial stability by either shaping the financial account structure, by reducing the risk of international financial contagion, or by directly reducing the risk of financial crises. Differentiated capital controls are found to affect financial stability via the structure of the financial account. Moreover, a number of structural policies including regulatory burdens on foreign direct investment, strict product market regulation, or tax systems which favour debt over equity finance are found to bias external financing towards debt, thereby increasing financial crisis risk. By contrast, more stringent domestic capital adequacy requirements for banks, greater reliance of a domestic banking system on deposits, controls on credit market inflows, and openness to foreign bank entry are found to reduce the vulnerability to financial contagion. Finally, vulnerability to international bank balance-sheet shocks is found to be lower in situations of abundant global liquidity, underlining the importance of adequate central bank reactions in situations of financial turmoil.
Keywords:
financial account, external debt, capital controls, banking regulations, foreign direct investment, balance sheet, FDI restrictions, financial stability
JEL Classification:
  • E44: Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics / Money and Interest Rates / Financial Markets and the Macroeconomy
  • F34: International Economics / International Finance / International Lending and Debt Problems
  • F36: International Economics / International Finance / Financial Aspects of Economic Integration
  • G01: Financial Economics / General / Financial Crises
  • G18: Financial Economics / General Financial Markets / Government Policy and Regulation