Cyclical macroeconomic policy, financial regulation and economic growth

This paper investigates the effect of cyclical macroeconomic policy and financial sector characteristics on growth. Using cross-country, cross-industry OECD data, it yields two main findings. First, countercyclical fiscal and monetary policies foster growth disproportionately in more credit/liquidity-constrained industries. Second, while higher bank capital ratios may contribute to reducing the benefit of a countercyclical monetary policy, countercyclical credit enhances growth disproportionately in more credit/liquidity-constrained industries and this complements the growth effects of countercyclical monetary policy. Raising regulatory requirements for bank capital can therefore help achieve financial stability and preserve economic growth if complemented with more countercyclical macroeconomic and regulatory policy.

JEL classification: E32, E44, E52, E62, G28, O43

Keywords: Growth, financial constraints, fiscal policy, monetary policy, financial regulation