Exploring the moderating effect of regulatory quality on the relationship between financial development and economic growth/economic volatility for developed and developing countries

Abstract

This study examines the moderating effect of regulatory quality on the relationship between financial development and economic growth/economic volatility. We employ the Panel Corrected Standard Error estimation method, supplemented by a robustness check using the Generalized Method of Moments. Our findings offer interesting insights into the relationship between financial development and outcomes for the economy. In developed countries, regulatory quality positively moderates the relationship between banking-based financial development and economic growth. Hence, policymakers should prioritize the maintenance of a high-quality institutional and regulatory environment conducive to both banking-based and market-based growth. Continual efforts to enhance regulatory quality and adopt robust approaches are imperative. Conversely, this study does not detect a significant moderating effect of regulatory quality on the relationship between financial development and economic growth in developing countries. Policymakers in these contexts must accelerate efforts to bolster institutional and regulatory frameworks, emphasizing the enhancement of regulatory quality. Care should be taken to avoid overly stringent regulations, particularly at lower levels of financialization, to prevent potential counter-productivity. Instead, a gradual approach to improving regulatory quality is advisable. Furthermore, policymakers should recognize that regulatory quality mitigates the contribution of banking-based financial development to economic volatility, a phenomenon observed in both developed and developing countries.