The effect of financial technology on money demand : evidence from selected African states

Purpose: The study sought to test the effect of financial technology on money demand in selected African states. The study drew from the fact that there is significant latent demand for digital payments in many markets of sub-Saharan Africa, and widespread consumer acceptance of mobile-communications technology is highly encouraging. The study sought to examine the effect of technology, among other things, on money demand. Design/Methodology/Approach: The study used panel data and a GMM panel technique to analyse the study’s findings. Findings: Results showed that all variables that captured financial technology have a negative effect with money demand (MD). Both Mobile Subscriptions (MS) and ATM (Automated Teller Machines) have a negative relationship with money demand (MD). Practical implications: Based on the results obtained in this study, the study recommended that Central Banks need to monitor and predict the consequences of financial innovations. As African states proceed with reforms of its financial sector, the stability of the demand for money would have to be reexamined and instruments of the Central Bank modified to ensure an effective control of money demand. Originality/Value: A little has been done on the effect of technological developments on money demand in Africa. An understanding of the way technological developments may positively or negatively impact on money demand may guide Central banks in adopting and implementing appropriate monetary policies and actions.peer-reviewe

Life Expectancy In Zimbabwe: An Analysis Of Five Decades

Great inconsistencies have been observed in life expectancy dynamics in Zimbabwe over the past decades. Contradictions exist among Zimbabweans where some believe that people used to live longer during the colonial era than they live now. Such beliefs have been exacerbated by the recent economic woes that ensued in the country. Dynamics in the Zimbabwean life expectancy patterns have seen male Zimbabweans outliving their female counterparts since the year 2000.  Such an alteration contradicts general world life expectancy trends where females commonly live longer than males. This paper analyses trends in the Zimbabwean life expectancy over the period 1970 to 2012. The ordinary least squares method is used to examine the impact of economic growth, inflation, increase in agriculture land, population growth and the dependency ratio on life expectancy in Zimbabwe. Empirical results from this study revealed that economic growth, inflation and population growth have a positive relationship with life expectancy while increases in both agricultural land and the dependency ratio have negative effects on life expectancy in Zimbabwe

Effects of exchange rate volatility on the stock market: a case study of South Africa

This study assessed the effects of currency volatility on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange. An evaluation of literature on exchange rate volatility and stock markets was conducted resulting into specification of an empirical model.The Generalised Autoregressive Conditional Heteroskedascity (1.1) (GARCH) model was used in establishing the relationship between exchange rate volatility and stock market performance. The study employed monthly South African data for the period 2000 – 2010. The data frequency selected ensured an adequate number of observations. A very weak relationship between currency volatility and the stock market was confirmed. The research finding is supported by previous studies. Prime overdraft rate and total mining production were found to have a negative impact on Market capitalisation. Surprisingly, US interest rates were found to have a positive impact on Market capitalisation. This study recommended that, since the South African stock market is not really exposed to the negative effects of currency volatility, government can use exchange rate as a policy tool to attract foreign portfolio investment. The weak relationship between currency volatility and the stock market suggests that the JSE can be marketed as a safe market for foreign investors. However, investors, bankers and portfolio managers still need to be vigilant in regard to the spillovers from the foreign exchange rate into the stock market. Although there is a weak relationship between rand volatility and the stock market in South Africa, this does not necessarily mean that investors and portfolio managers need not monitor the developments between these two variables

An Investigation Into The Demand For Broad Money In South Africa

A stable money demand function plays a vital role in the planning and implementation of monetary policy. With the use of Johansen co-integration and error correction model estimates, this study examines the existence of a stable long-run relationship between real broad money demand ( RM3) and its explanatory variables in South Africa for the period 1990-2009. In contrast to previous analyses, this study augments the co-integration and vector autoregression (VAR) analysis with impulse response and variance decomposition analyses to provide robust long-run effects and short-run dynamic effects on the real money demand. In addition, this study introduces a foreign interest rate to capture the impact of capital mobility on money demand in South Africa.   Results from the Johansen test suggest that real broad money demand (RM3) and its all explanatory variables are cointegrated

Barriers And Challenges Restraining Zimbabwean Banks In Going Multinational

This paper investigates the barriers and challenges restraining Zimbabwean banking institutions in going multinational. The paper drew attention from the fact that although multinational banking had increased drastically in the last two decades, Zimbabwean banks have failed to go multinational. Findings from this study indicate that cultural distance, government policy, information asymmetry, level of technology, legal and regulatory barriers and barriers to entry are the main challenges that restrain Zimbabwean banks from going multinational. The paper also examines policy options to address the challenges faced by Zimbabwean banks when going multinational