International co-movements of real and financial economic variables

Abstract

This study presents a first attempt at investigating whether the international co-movements of real economic activity conform to the same international co-movements of financial activity. This study tests the international co-movements of real economic activity, on the one hand, and financial variables such as stock returns, interest rates, inflation rates and risk premiums, on the other hand. We employ a dynamic correlation model on data from OECD countries for the period 1980–2010. Our findings demonstrate that international stock markets co-react in accordance with the underlying international economic forces. We also document three other results. First, the correlation among countries with respect to real economic activity is statistically positive, but the level of this correlation is lower than that of financial variables. Second, there is a significant increase over time in the international correlation level with respect to the financial variables. Finally, the creation of the Euro Monetary Union and the adoption of an inflation targeting policy in many countries have increased the international correlation of all of the financial variables tested. The article concludes with two implications from these findings: (1) predictions in the context of international portfolio diversification, and (2) policy making at the fiscal and monetary levels.

Keywords:

• economic integration
• correlation of stock returns

JEL Classification:

• F30
• G10
• G15

Acknowledgements

We thank seminar participants at the University of Haifa for comments and suggestions on an earlier draft of this article. Remaining errors are our responsibility.

Notes

¹ In the interests of space, we report only some of the findings here. The other inter-country links are available upon request.

² We thank the referee for his or her suggestions and the ideas that we incorporated in this sub-section.