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Remittances and Domestic Investment in Developing Countries: An Analysis of the Role of Financial Sector Development

Author

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  • Laurent Gheeraert
  • Ritha Sukadi Mata
  • Daniel Traca

Abstract

This paper addresses the relationship between remittances and home country investment in developing countries. It highlights, through both a theoretical model and an empirical analysis, the role of financial sector development (FSD) in the impact of remittances on home country investment. The key contribution of the paper is to show that different transaction costs traditionally associated with the FSD, namely 'Cost of Bank Depositing' and 'Cost of External Finance', have conflicting effects on the marginal impact of remitances on investment. Our stylized model, which addresses the specificities of remittance flows through the loanable funds market, yields several intuitive results. First, the marginal impacts of remittances on bank-deposits and formal investment are positive. Second, both marginal impacts increase when the Cost of Bank Depositing declines. Third, a decrease in Cost of External Finance lowers the marginal impact on formal investment, and does not affect the marginal impact on bank deposits. Hence, since FSD lowers both transaction costs, it has an ambiguous effect on the marginal impact on investment. The empirical analysis on a sample of 100 developing countries, using both cross-section and panel-data methodologies, confirms our model's predictions.

Suggested Citation

  • Laurent Gheeraert & Ritha Sukadi Mata & Daniel Traca, 2010. "Remittances and Domestic Investment in Developing Countries: An Analysis of the Role of Financial Sector Development," Working Papers CEB 10-013.RS, ULB -- Universite Libre de Bruxelles.
    • Handle: RePEc:sol:wpaper:10-013
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    Cited by:

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    2. Md. Golam Mostafa. & Md. Abdul Wadud, 2024. "Worker’s Remittance and Socioeconomic Development: Evidence from Bangladesh," International Journal of Research and Scientific Innovation, International Journal of Research and Scientific Innovation (IJRSI), vol. 11(6), pages 190-198, June.
    3. Sharafat, Ali & Hamid, Waqas & Muhammad, Asghar & Raheel Abbas, Kalroo & Muhammad, Ayaz & Mukhtyar, Khan, 2013. "Foreign Capital and Investment in Pakistan: A Cointegration and Causality Analysis," MPRA Paper 55640, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 28 Apr 2013.
    4. Ranjan Kumar Dash, 2020. "Impact of Remittances on Domestic Investment: A Panel Study of Six South Asian Countries," South Asia Economic Journal, Institute of Policy Studies of Sri Lanka, vol. 21(1), pages 7-30, March.
    5. Madalina-Gabriela ANGHEL & Georgiana NITA & Alexandru BADIU, 2017. "Impact of Remittances on Financial Development and Economic Growth," Romanian Statistical Review Supplement, Romanian Statistical Review, vol. 65(1), pages 106-112, January.
    6. Georgiana Nita, 2018. "Remittances from Migrant Workers and their Importance in Economic Growth," International Journal of Academic Research in Accounting, Finance and Management Sciences, Human Resource Management Academic Research Society, International Journal of Academic Research in Accounting, Finance and Management Sciences, vol. 8(1), pages 161-166, January.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    remittances; investment; growth; financial sector development; transaction cost; openness;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • F24 - International Economics - - International Factor Movements and International Business - - - Remittances
    • O16 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Financial Markets; Saving and Capital Investment; Corporate Finance and Governance

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