FINANCIAL VULNERABILITY AND INCOME INEQUALITY: NEW EVIDENCE FROM OECD COUNTRIES

Abstract

This study explores, for the first time, how financial vulnerability affects incomeinequality across OECD countries, from 1990 to 2015. The empirics use a new financialvulnerability index constructed by Adrian and Duarte (2016). Through the methodologyof their modeling approach, panel GARCH and GMM methods, the findings indicatethat financial vulnerability exerts a negative impact on income equality conditions.The results survive certain definitions of income inequality and corruption, whilethey highlight the importance of financial stability conditions, with potential furtherrepercussions to the real economy.