Financial Intermediation and Economic Growth: Evidence from the Baltic countries

Abstract

The hypothesis that financial development promotes economic growth is largely supported by empirical studies. This hypothesis is tested for the three Baltic countries using a time series approach that allows for interactions between the three countries. We find that economic growth is a positive function of financial development, proxied by banking credit available to private sector, in the long run. The results also show that there are long run interactions between the three Baltic countries.Cointegration; Spillovers; Financial development; Emerging markets