POWER PLAYERS: DO PENSION FUNDS DRIVE STOCK MARKET GROWTH IN THE EUROPEAN UNION?

This study investigates the role of pension fund assets (PFA) in driving stock market development across the European Union from 2005 to 2022, using market capitalization as % in GDP as a proxy for stock market growth. Employing a fixed-effects model, we examine the impact of PFA alongside sever...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: MILOȘ LAURA RAISA, MILOȘ MARIUS CRISTIAN
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Academica Brâncuşi 2024-12-01
Series:Analele Universităţii Constantin Brâncuşi din Târgu Jiu : Seria Economie
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.utgjiu.ro/revista/ec/pdf/2024-06,%20Volumul%20II/10_Milos.pdf
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1841560809848700928
author MILOȘ LAURA RAISA
MILOȘ MARIUS CRISTIAN
author_facet MILOȘ LAURA RAISA
MILOȘ MARIUS CRISTIAN
author_sort MILOȘ LAURA RAISA
collection DOAJ
description This study investigates the role of pension fund assets (PFA) in driving stock market development across the European Union from 2005 to 2022, using market capitalization as % in GDP as a proxy for stock market growth. Employing a fixed-effects model, we examine the impact of PFA alongside several key economic controls, including domestic credit to the private sector, GDP growth, inflation, gross domestic savings, trade openness, and foreign direct investment inflows. Our findings reveal a strong, positive, and statistically significant relationship between PFA and market capitalization. Specifically, a one-unit increase in pension fund assets is associated with a 0.574 percentage point increase in market capitalization as a share of GDP, underscoring the role that pension funds play in enhancing stock market activity and liquidity.Among the control variables, domestic credit to private sector by banks, GDP growth and gross domestic savings exhibit significant positive effects, suggesting that financial and economic expansion and higher savings rates support stock market growth by improving market liquidity and boosting investor confidence. Inflation also shows a positive association with market capitalization, suggesting that moderate inflation may reflect economic dynamism, thereby attracting investment. Conversely, trade openness has a negative relationship with market capitalization, potentially reflecting increased exposure to external economic shocks or capital outflows. Foreign direct investment, while showing a small positive effect, is not statistically significant.Overall, these findings highlight the importance of pension funds in fostering stock market growth and provide policymakers with insights into strategies for financial development in the EU.
format Article
id doaj-art-d45bd4c608f6431889d48dc2661b0d0a
institution Kabale University
issn 1844-7007
2344-3685
language English
publishDate 2024-12-01
publisher Academica Brâncuşi
record_format Article
series Analele Universităţii Constantin Brâncuşi din Târgu Jiu : Seria Economie
spelling doaj-art-d45bd4c608f6431889d48dc2661b0d0a2025-01-03T15:32:41ZengAcademica BrâncuşiAnalele Universităţii Constantin Brâncuşi din Târgu Jiu : Seria Economie1844-70072344-36852024-12-01269197POWER PLAYERS: DO PENSION FUNDS DRIVE STOCK MARKET GROWTH IN THE EUROPEAN UNION? MILOȘ LAURA RAISA 0MILOȘ MARIUS CRISTIAN 1HD, BABEȘ-BOLYAI UNIVERSITY, FACULTY OF ECONOMICS AND BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION-REȘIȚA LECTURER PHD, BABEȘ-BOLYAI UNIVERSITY, FACULTY OF ECONOMICS AND BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION-REȘIȚA This study investigates the role of pension fund assets (PFA) in driving stock market development across the European Union from 2005 to 2022, using market capitalization as % in GDP as a proxy for stock market growth. Employing a fixed-effects model, we examine the impact of PFA alongside several key economic controls, including domestic credit to the private sector, GDP growth, inflation, gross domestic savings, trade openness, and foreign direct investment inflows. Our findings reveal a strong, positive, and statistically significant relationship between PFA and market capitalization. Specifically, a one-unit increase in pension fund assets is associated with a 0.574 percentage point increase in market capitalization as a share of GDP, underscoring the role that pension funds play in enhancing stock market activity and liquidity.Among the control variables, domestic credit to private sector by banks, GDP growth and gross domestic savings exhibit significant positive effects, suggesting that financial and economic expansion and higher savings rates support stock market growth by improving market liquidity and boosting investor confidence. Inflation also shows a positive association with market capitalization, suggesting that moderate inflation may reflect economic dynamism, thereby attracting investment. Conversely, trade openness has a negative relationship with market capitalization, potentially reflecting increased exposure to external economic shocks or capital outflows. Foreign direct investment, while showing a small positive effect, is not statistically significant.Overall, these findings highlight the importance of pension funds in fostering stock market growth and provide policymakers with insights into strategies for financial development in the EU. https://www.utgjiu.ro/revista/ec/pdf/2024-06,%20Volumul%20II/10_Milos.pdfpension fundsstock marketgrowtheuropean union
spellingShingle MILOȘ LAURA RAISA
MILOȘ MARIUS CRISTIAN
POWER PLAYERS: DO PENSION FUNDS DRIVE STOCK MARKET GROWTH IN THE EUROPEAN UNION?
Analele Universităţii Constantin Brâncuşi din Târgu Jiu : Seria Economie
pension funds
stock market
growth
european union
title POWER PLAYERS: DO PENSION FUNDS DRIVE STOCK MARKET GROWTH IN THE EUROPEAN UNION?
title_full POWER PLAYERS: DO PENSION FUNDS DRIVE STOCK MARKET GROWTH IN THE EUROPEAN UNION?
title_fullStr POWER PLAYERS: DO PENSION FUNDS DRIVE STOCK MARKET GROWTH IN THE EUROPEAN UNION?
title_full_unstemmed POWER PLAYERS: DO PENSION FUNDS DRIVE STOCK MARKET GROWTH IN THE EUROPEAN UNION?
title_short POWER PLAYERS: DO PENSION FUNDS DRIVE STOCK MARKET GROWTH IN THE EUROPEAN UNION?
title_sort power players do pension funds drive stock market growth in the european union
topic pension funds
stock market
growth
european union
url https://www.utgjiu.ro/revista/ec/pdf/2024-06,%20Volumul%20II/10_Milos.pdf
work_keys_str_mv AT miloslauraraisa powerplayersdopensionfundsdrivestockmarketgrowthintheeuropeanunion
AT milosmariuscristian powerplayersdopensionfundsdrivestockmarketgrowthintheeuropeanunion