Saving Behavior in Low- and Middle-Income Developing Countries: A Comparison

The relationship between real interest rates, saving, and gre is a cen tral issue in development economics. Using iflaCrOecOnOFflic data for c cross-section of countries, we estimate a model in %i’hlc/I 1/ic intertemporal elasticity of subsutution varies with the level of wealth. The estimated pa ranieters are used to calculate, in the context of a simple endogenous g rowt/i model, the responsiveness of saving to real interest rate c/ian ges for countries at differing stages of developmnent. The hypothesis f/mat the saving rate, and its sensitivity to time interest rate, are a risinq function of income finds strong empirical support.