ASEAN economic growth, trade openness and banking-sector depth : the nexus

This paper investigated the linkages between banking sector depth, trade openness, and economic growth using a panel data set covering the ASEAN regional forum countries for the period 1961-2012. Using our multivariate framework, we first found that all the variables were integrated of order one and were cointegrated. Our panel-data estimation procedures offered more robust estimates than previous studies by utilizing variations between countries as well as variations over time. The results of this study indicated a general long-run equilibrium relationship among trade openness, banking sector depth and economic growth as well as a short-run relationship between these variables. Policy recommendations include those that will promote greater banking sector development as well as increased trade openness.