Stock market integration: Malaysia and its major trading partners

This study examines the stock market integration among Malaysia and its major trading partners by employing Johansen (1988) and Johansen and Juselius (1990) cointegration tests and VECM approach in investigating the dynamic linkages between markets. By using a weekly data, the results indicate that Malaysia stock market is significantly influenced by the stock market development from the major trading partners. The empirical findings are consistent with the view that stronger the bilateral trade ties between two countries, the higher the degree of comovements (Masih and Masih, 1999; Bracker et al., 1999). Since the markets move towards a greater integration, there are no opportunities for international portfolio diversification. In addition, any development in the stock market from major trading partners can not be ignored and should be taken into consideration by the Malaysian government in designing an appropriate policy in the domestic stock market.Cointegration; VECM; major trading partners; stock market integration

Foreign Shocks, Monetary Policy, and Macroeconomic Fluctuations in a Small Open Economy: A SVAR Study of Malaysia

This paper investigates the effect of foreign shocks upon domestic macroeconomic fluctuations and monetary policy, and examines the effectiveness of domestic monetary policy as a stabilization policy in Malaysia.  Monetary policy variables (interest rate and money supply) have been measured through a non-recursive structural VAR (SVAR) identification scheme, which allows the monetary authority to set the interest rate and money supply after observing the current value of foreign variables, domestic output and inflation. The results show the important role of foreign shocks in influencing Malaysian monetary policy and macroeconomic variables. There is a real effect of monetary policy, that is, a positive shock in money supply increases domestic output. In contrast, a positive interest rates shock has a negative effect on domestic output growth and inflation. The effects of money supply and interest rate shocks on the exchange rate and stock prices are also consistent with standard economic theory. In addition, domestic monetary policy is able to mitigate the negative effect of external shocks upon domestic economy

Interest Rates Targeting of Monetary Policy: An Open Economy SVAR Study of Malaysia

This paper examines the implementation of monetary policy during the interest rates targeting in a small-open economy (i.e. Malaysia) by using an open-economy structural VAR (SVAR) study. It tests the effect of foreign shocks upon domestic macroeconomic fluctuations and monetary policy, and examines how effective monetary policy is in influencing macroeconomic variables. The results show that during interest rates targeting, monetary policy plays a significant role in affecting macroeconomics variables. This finding suggests that monetary policy has an important role as a stabilization policy in a small-open economy.    

Financial Integration between Indonesia and Its Major Trading Partners

This study examines stock market integration among the emerging stock market of Indonesia and its major trading partners (Japan, the US, Singapore and China). We employ the newly proposed autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) approach to cointegration and recent weekly stock market data spanning from July 1998 to December 2007. The results indicate the Indonesian stock market is cointegrated with the stock markets of the US, Japan, Singapore and China. Thus, this implies that the opportunities for international investors to gain benefits from international portfolio diversification in those markets are limited. In addition, any development in Japan, the US, Singapore and China markets should be considered by the Indonesian government in making policies regarding to the stock market of Indonesia.Stock Market Integration; Portfolio Diversification; Trading Partners

KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT AT THE AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT BANK

The African Development Bank (AfDB) Group was established in 1964, and its mission is to mobilize resources for Africa’s economic and social development. With this objective in mind, the institution aims at assisting African countries – individually and collectively - in their efforts to achieve sustainable economic development and social progress

Bank lending channel of monetary policy: dynamic panel data evidence from Malaysia

This paper aims to investigate the relevance of bank-lending channel (BLC) of monetary policy in a small-open economy, i.e. Malaysia by using disaggregated bank-level data set. A dynamic panel data method namely GMM framework proposed by Arellano and Bond (1991), Arellano and Bover (1995), and Blundell and Bond (1998) have been used in estimating the dynamic of banks’ loan supply function. The empirical evidence has stated that monetary policy shocks is significantly and negatively influenced the banks’ loan supply, and therefore has supported the existence of BLC in Malaysia. In addition, several bank-characteristics variables namely bank liquidity and bank capitalization (capital adequacy ratio) are also statistically significant in influencing the banks’ loan supply. Therefore, the implementation of monetary policy is effective in influencing economic activity via bank balance sheet position, in particular bank loans.Bank-lending channel, monetary policy, dynamic panel data

Subsidy and export: Malaysian case

This paper examines the long-run relationship between subsidies and export for the case of Malaysia using annual data from 1976 to 2010 and cointegration test. The results show that the subsidies significantly influence export in the long-run. This support the argument by the non-neo-classical economists’ propagation that export promotion requires a pro-active government role in the economy. This study has shed some lights that subsidy may not be detrimental to an economy.Subsidies; Export; Cointegration

Bank Loans and Stock Prices: An Empirical Evidence

Abstract - This study re-examines the interaction between bank loans and stock prices in Malaysia. We use Granger non-causality test proposed by Toda and Yamamoto (1995) in both bivariate and multivariate frameworks and both monthly and quarterly data in examining the relationship between the two variables. Unlike previous studies, we find that there is strong evidence of no causality running between stock prices and bank loans in all models and samples. This finding revealed that stock prices and bank loans are independent. The predictability of stock prices cannot be enhanced considerably through utilizing information on the bank loans

Bank Loans and Stock Prices: An Empirical Evidence

Abstract - This study re-examines the interaction between bank loans and stock prices in Malaysia. We use Granger non-causality test proposed by Toda and Yamamoto (1995) in both bivariate and multivariate frameworks and both monthly and quarterly data in examining the relationship between the two variables. Unlike previous studies, we find that there is strong evidence of no causality running between stock prices and bank loans in all models and samples. This finding revealed that stock prices and bank loans are independent. The predictability of stock prices cannot be enhanced considerably through utilizing information on the bank loans

Institutions and foreign direct investment (FDI) in Malaysia: empirical evidence using ARDL model

Since 1990’s, institution factors have been regarded as playing important roles in stimulating foreign direct investments (FDI). However, empirical studies on their importance in affecting FDI are still lacking especially for small open economies. This paper attempts to investigate the role of institutions upon the inflow of foreign direct investment (FDI) in a small open economy of Malaysia. Using bounds testing approach (ARDL model), the empirical findings reveal that there exists a long run relationship among FDI and the institution variables. Specifically, several institution variables namely government stability, bureaucracy, and corruption are found to play prominent roles in influencing the inflow of FDI. Thus, in attracting foreign investors, implementing FDI-friendly policies by providing and maintaining the quality of domestic institutions would be beneficial to Malaysian economic growth.Institutions; Foreign Direct Investment (FDI); ARDL