Financial Market Drift, Softcover reprint of the original 1st ed. 2001
Decoupling of the Financial Sector from the Real Economy?

International financial markets play an increasingly important role. There can be no doubt that over the past twenty years the size of financial markets have grown at a faster pace than the size of the markets for goods and services. However, it is still unclear whether this is a desirable development. This book discusses the debate on the possible separation of the financial sector and real economy. The text makes use of established scientific research.

Introduction.- Defining the problem.- Classification of the decoupling problem.- Structure of the study.- The relative sizes of the financial sector and the real economy.- Definitional background to financial accounts.- Empirical studies of financial sector growth in the development process.- Studies of the decoupling hypothesis.- Current empirical studies of decoupling characteristics.- Analysis of financial asset ratios in Germany.- Analysis of international foreign exchange trading turnover.- Analysis of equity market volumes focusing on the USA.- Excursus: Costly financial market turnover without a reasonable result?.- Analysis of possible decoupling consequences for the financial sector.- Decoupling as a reflection of CAPM mi-specifications.- Price volatility.- Prices.- Financial sector stability.- Economic policy: Assessment and options.- Evidence for the decoupling hypothesis.- Three evaluation-driven response concepts.- Concluding assessment of the decoupling hypothesis.