Understanding the Growth of African Financial Markets
August 1, 2009
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Summary
This paper examines empirically the determinants of financial market development in Africa with an emphasis on banking systems and stock markets. The results show that income level, creditor rights protection, financial repression, and political risk are the main determinants of banking sector development in Africa, and that stock market liquidity, domestic savings, banking sector development, and political risk are the main determinants of stock market development. We also find that liberalizing the capital account promotes financial market development only in countries with high incomes, well- developed institutions, or both. The powerful impacts of political risk on both banking sector and stock market development suggest that resolution of political risk may be important to the development of African financial markets.
Subject: Capital account liberalization, Commercial banks, Financial sector development, Multilateral development institutions, Stock markets
Keywords: bank credit, banking sector development, financial market, market capitalization, WP
Pages:
40
Volume:
2009
DOI:
Issue:
182
Series:
Working Paper No. 2009/182
Stock No:
WPIEA2009182
ISBN:
9781451873290
ISSN:
1018-5941
