IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/jebusi/v123y2023ics014861952200042x.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

What do we know about the relationship between banks and income inequality? Empirical evidence for emerging and low-income countries

Author

Listed:
  • de Moraes, Claudio Oliveira
  • Cruz, Guilherme

Abstract

The objective of this article is to examine whether the banking sector contributes to reducing income inequality and poverty. We assess the effect of banks on income inequality considering various banking qualities with a dynamic panel data analysis of 46 emerging markets (EMs) and 66 low-income countries (LICs) using updated data for the 2000–2018 period. The simultaneous and non-linear effects of banking qualities were also evaluated. The results indicate that banking activities (i.e., availability, relevance, and financial efficiency) reduce income inequality and poverty for EMs and LICs. However, there is an optimal degree of each quality mentioned for banks’ impact on inequality beyond which it increases rather than decreases income inequality.

Suggested Citation

  • de Moraes, Claudio Oliveira & Cruz, Guilherme, 2023. "What do we know about the relationship between banks and income inequality? Empirical evidence for emerging and low-income countries," Journal of Economics and Business, Elsevier, vol. 123(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jebusi:v:123:y:2023:i:c:s014861952200042x
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jeconbus.2022.106086
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S014861952200042X
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.jeconbus.2022.106086?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Hansen, Lars Peter, 1982. "Large Sample Properties of Generalized Method of Moments Estimators," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 50(4), pages 1029-1054, July.
    2. Altunbaş, Yener & Thornton, John, 2019. "The impact of financial development on income inequality: A quantile regression approach," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 175(C), pages 51-56.
    3. Sylviane Guillaumont Jeanneney & Kangni Kpodar, 2011. "Financial Development and Poverty Reduction: Can There be a Benefit without a Cost?," Journal of Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 47(1), pages 143-163.
    4. Thorsten Beck & Ross Levine & Alexey Levkov, 2010. "Big Bad Banks? The Winners and Losers from Bank Deregulation in the United States," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 65(5), pages 1637-1667, October.
    5. Brei, Michael & Ferri, Giovanni & Gambacorta, Leonardo, 2023. "Financial structure and income inequality," Journal of International Money and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 131(C).
    6. Donghyun Park & Kwanho Shin, 2017. "Economic Growth, Financial Development, and Income Inequality," Emerging Markets Finance and Trade, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 53(12), pages 2794-2825, December.
    7. Philippe Aghion & Patrick Bolton, 1997. "A Theory of Trickle-Down Growth and Development," The Review of Economic Studies, Review of Economic Studies Ltd, vol. 64(2), pages 151-172.
    8. David Roodman, 2009. "A Note on the Theme of Too Many Instruments," Oxford Bulletin of Economics and Statistics, Department of Economics, University of Oxford, vol. 71(1), pages 135-158, February.
    9. David Martínez Turégano & Alicia García Herrero, 2018. "Financial Inclusion, Rather Than Size, Is The Key To Tackling Income Inequality," The Singapore Economic Review (SER), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 63(01), pages 167-184, March.
    10. Zhicheng Liang, 2006. "Financial Development And Income Distribution: A System Gmm Panel Analysis With Application To Urban China," Journal of Economic Development, Chung-Ang Unviersity, Department of Economics, vol. 31(2), pages 1-21, December.
    11. Easterly, William & Fischer, Stanley, 2001. "Inflation and the Poor," Journal of Money, Credit and Banking, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 33(2), pages 160-178, May.
    12. Chen, Minghua & Wu, Ji & Jeon, Bang Nam & Wang, Rui, 2017. "Monetary policy and bank risk-taking: Evidence from emerging economies," Emerging Markets Review, Elsevier, vol. 31(C), pages 116-140.
    13. Perera, Anil & Wickramanayake, J., 2016. "Determinants of commercial bank retail interest rate adjustments: Evidence from a panel data model," Journal of International Financial Markets, Institutions and Money, Elsevier, vol. 45(C), pages 1-20.
    14. Greenwood, Jeremy & Jovanovic, Boyan, 1990. "Financial Development, Growth, and the Distribution of Income," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 98(5), pages 1076-1107, October.
    15. Davydov, Denis & Fungáčová, Zuzana & Weill, Laurent, 2018. "Cyclicality of bank liquidity creation," Journal of International Financial Markets, Institutions and Money, Elsevier, vol. 55(C), pages 81-93.
    16. Sylviane Guillaumont Jeanneney & Kangni Kpodar, 2011. "Financial Development and Poverty Reduction: Can There Be a Benefit Without a Cost?," Post-Print halshs-00601306, HAL.
    17. Zhang, Ruixin & Ben Naceur, Sami, 2019. "Financial development, inequality, and poverty: Some international evidence," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 61(C), pages 1-16.
    18. Pires Tiberto, Bruno & Oliveira de Moraes, Claudio & Pio Corrêa, Paloma, 2020. "Does transparency of central banks communication affect credit market? Empirical evidence for advanced and emerging markets," The North American Journal of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 53(C).
    19. Thorsten Beck & Asli Demirgüç-Kunt & Ross Levine, 2000. "A New Database on the Structure and Development of the Financial Sector," The World Bank Economic Review, World Bank, vol. 14(3), pages 597-605, September.
    20. Mamatzakis, Emmanuel & Bermpei, Theodora, 2016. "What is the effect of unconventional monetary policy on bank performance?," Journal of International Money and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 67(C), pages 239-263.
    21. Arellano, Manuel & Bover, Olympia, 1995. "Another look at the instrumental variable estimation of error-components models," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 68(1), pages 29-51, July.
    22. Md Abdullah Omar & Kazuo Inaba, 2020. "Does financial inclusion reduce poverty and income inequality in developing countries? A panel data analysis," Journal of Economic Structures, Springer;Pan-Pacific Association of Input-Output Studies (PAPAIOS), vol. 9(1), pages 1-25, December.
    23. Levine, Ross, 2005. "Finance and Growth: Theory and Evidence," Handbook of Economic Growth, in: Philippe Aghion & Steven Durlauf (ed.), Handbook of Economic Growth, edition 1, volume 1, chapter 12, pages 865-934, Elsevier.
    24. Uddin, Ajim & Chowdhury, Mohammad Ashraful Ferdous & Sajib, Sanjay Deb & Masih, Mansur, 2020. "Revisiting the impact of institutional quality on post-GFC bank risk-taking: Evidence from emerging countries," Emerging Markets Review, Elsevier, vol. 42(C).
    25. Jay C. Shambaugh & Michael R. Strain, 2021. "The Recovery from the Great Recession: A Long, Evolving Expansion," The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, , vol. 695(1), pages 28-48, May.
    26. Blundell, Richard & Bond, Stephen, 1998. "Initial conditions and moment restrictions in dynamic panel data models," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 87(1), pages 115-143, August.
    27. Jauch, Sebastian & Watzka, Sebastian, 2016. "Financial development and income inequality: a panel data approach," Munich Reprints in Economics 43505, University of Munich, Department of Economics.
    28. Douglas Staiger & James H. Stock, 1997. "Instrumental Variables Regression with Weak Instruments," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 65(3), pages 557-586, May.
    29. Mr. George T. Abed & Mr. Hamid R Davoodi, 2000. "Corruption, Structural Reforms, and Economic Performance in the Transition Economies," IMF Working Papers 2000/132, International Monetary Fund.
    30. Sylviane Guillaumont Jeanneney & Kangni Kpodar, 2011. "Financial Development and Poverty Reduction: Can There be a Benefit without a Cost?," Post-Print halshs-00554229, HAL.
    31. Cragg, John G, 1983. "More Efficient Estimation in the Presence of Heteroscedasticity of Unknown Form," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 51(3), pages 751-763, May.
    32. Dang, Van Dan & Dang, Van Cuong, 2020. "The conditioning role of performance on the bank risk-taking channel of monetary policy: Evidence from a multiple-tool regime," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 54(C).
    33. Kim, Dong-Hyeon & Lin, Shu-Chin, 2011. "Nonlinearity in the financial developmentâincome inequality nexus," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 39(3), pages 310-325, September.
    34. Seven, Unal & Coskun, Yener, 2016. "Does financial development reduce income inequality and poverty? Evidence from emerging countries," Emerging Markets Review, Elsevier, vol. 26(C), pages 34-63.
    35. Rajan, Raghuram G. & Zingales, Luigi, 2003. "The great reversals: the politics of financial development in the twentieth century," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 69(1), pages 5-50, July.
    36. Thorsten Beck & Asli Demirgüç-Kunt & Ross Levine, 2007. "Finance, inequality and the poor," Journal of Economic Growth, Springer, vol. 12(1), pages 27-49, March.
    37. Nickell, Stephen J, 1981. "Biases in Dynamic Models with Fixed Effects," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 49(6), pages 1417-1426, November.
    38. Gazi Salah Uddin & Phouphet Kyophilavong & Nasim Sydee, 2012. "The Casual Nexus of Banking Sector Development and Poverty Reduction in Bangladesh," International Journal of Economics and Financial Issues, Econjournals, vol. 2(3), pages 304-311.
    39. Manuel Arellano & Stephen Bond, 1991. "Some Tests of Specification for Panel Data: Monte Carlo Evidence and an Application to Employment Equations," The Review of Economic Studies, Review of Economic Studies Ltd, vol. 58(2), pages 277-297.
    40. Ayyagari, Meghana & Beck, Thorsten & Hoseini, Mohammad, 2020. "Finance, law and poverty: Evidence from India," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 60(C).
    41. Mr. Vassili Prokopenko & Mr. Paul Holden, 2001. "Financial Development and Poverty Alleviation: Issues and Policy Implications for Developing and Transition Countries," IMF Working Papers 2001/160, International Monetary Fund.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Roya Taherifar & Mark J. Holmes & Gazi M. Hassan, 2023. "Does economic openness matter in the impact of financial development on income inequality?," Working Papers in Economics 23/04, University of Waikato.
    2. Meniago, Christelle & Asongu, Simplice A., 2018. "Revisiting the finance-inequality nexus in a panel of African countries," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 46(C), pages 399-419.
    3. Péter Benczúr & Virmantas Kvedaras, 2021. "Nonlinear impact of financial deepening on income inequality," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 60(4), pages 1939-1967, April.
    4. Dong-Hyeon Kim & Joyce Hsieh & Shu-Chin Lin, 2021. "Financial liberalization, political institutions, and income inequality," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 60(3), pages 1245-1281, March.
    5. Boukhatem, Jamel, 2016. "Assessing the direct effect of financial development on poverty reduction in a panel of low- and middle-income countries," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 37(C), pages 214-230.
    6. Raja Almarzoqi & Sami Ben Naceur & Akshay Kotak, 2015. "What Matters for Financial Development and Stability?," IMF Working Papers 2015/173, International Monetary Fund.
    7. Sèna Kimm Gnangnon, 2023. "Do unilateral trade preferences help reduce poverty in beneficiary countries?," International Journal of Economic Policy Studies, Springer, vol. 17(1), pages 249-288, February.
    8. Brei, Michael & Ferri, Giovanni & Gambacorta, Leonardo, 2023. "Financial structure and income inequality," Journal of International Money and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 131(C).
    9. Kvedaras, Virmantas, 2017. "Income inequality and private bank credit in developed economies," JRC Working Papers in Economics and Finance 2017-06, Joint Research Centre, European Commission.
    10. Seven, Unal & Coskun, Yener, 2016. "Does financial development reduce income inequality and poverty? Evidence from emerging countries," Emerging Markets Review, Elsevier, vol. 26(C), pages 34-63.
    11. Gnangnon, Sèna Kimm, 2021. "Do Unilateral Trade Preferences Help Reduce Poverty in Beneficiary Countries?," EconStor Preprints 247346, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics.
    12. Dirk Bezemer & Anna Samarina, 2019. "Debt shift, financial development and income inequality," DNB Working Papers 646, Netherlands Central Bank, Research Department.
    13. Bolarinwa, Segun Thompson & Akinlo, Anthony Enisan, 2021. "Is there a nonlinear relationship between financial development and income inequality in Africa? Evidence from dynamic panel threshold," The Journal of Economic Asymmetries, Elsevier, vol. 24(C).
    14. Helder Ferreira de Mendonça & Diogo Martins Esteves, 2018. "Monetary authority's transparency and income inequality," Review of Development Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 22(4), pages 202-227, November.
    15. de Moraes, Claudio Oliveira & Roquete, Raphael Moses & Gawryszewski, Gustavo, 2023. "Who needs cash? Digital finance and income inequality," The Quarterly Review of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 91(C), pages 84-93.
    16. Sunny Kumar Singh & Chandan Kumar Jha, 2023. "Are financial development and financial stability complements or substitutes in poverty reduction?," The European Journal of Finance, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 29(17), pages 2001-2031, November.
    17. Anjan K. Saha & Vinod Mishra & Russell Smyth, 2021. "Financial development and top income shares in OECD countries," Southern Economic Journal, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 87(3), pages 952-978, January.
    18. Victoria I. Okafor & Isaiah O. Olurinola & Ebenezer Bowale & Romanus Osabohien, 2023. "Financial development and income inequality in Africa," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 10(1), pages 1-10, December.
    19. Madhu Sehrawat & A. K. Giri, 2018. "The impact of financial development, economic growth, income inequality on poverty: evidence from India," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 55(4), pages 1585-1602, December.
    20. Jakob Haan & Regina Pleninger & Jan-Egbert Sturm, 2022. "Does Financial Development Reduce the Poverty Gap?," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 161(1), pages 1-27, May.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:jebusi:v:123:y:2023:i:c:s014861952200042x. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.journals.elsevier.com/journal-of-economics-and-business .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.