Financialization and growth nexus in the EU new member states (NMS): an ARDL bounds testing approach and Granger causality analysis

Purpose This study aims to explore the short-run and long-run relationships and causality between economic growth and financialization in the new member states (NMS-11) and to provide some policy implications drawn from the empirical findings. Design/methodology/approach The autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) bounds test approach to cointegration with the vector error correction model and the cumulative sum of squares (CUSUMQ) test for stability of functions is used between 1995q1 and 2021q4 to examine the existence of cointegration, relationships and causality between economic growth and financialization. Findings The findings of the ARDL bounds test demonstrate that the variables included in the models are bound together in the long run, as confirmed by the associated equilibrium correction. The estimated models indicate that the association between selected variables and economic growth is stronger and more statistically significant in the short run compared with the long run. Also, for NMS-11 understudied countries, short-run causality prevails over long-run causality. The changes in the level of financialization have a significant negative effect on the growth rates in the short run, which aligns with findings from previous empirical studies. Originality/value This study extends the existing very limited literature about short-run and long-run relationships and causality among economic growth and financialization, including inflation and unemployment variables, to determine their link in the NMS-11. Specifically, the present study reveals that the current level of financialization hampers economic growth and promoting such economic policies further can have adverse effects on the overall economic growth.