Abstract: | Is the financial system important for economic growth? One lineof research argues that it is not; another line stresses theimportance of the financial system in mobilizing savings, allocatingcapital, exerting corporate control, and easing risk management.Moreover, some theories provide a conceptual basis for the beliefthat larger, more efficient stock markets boost economic growth.This article examines whether there is a strong empirical associationbetween stock market development and long-run economic growth.Cross-country growth regressions suggest that the predeterminedcomponent of stock market development is positively and robustlyassociated with long-run economic growth. |