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Why is Italy's Savings Rate So High?

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Author Info
Guiso, Luigi
Jappelli, Tullio
Terlizzese, Daniele

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Abstract

In this paper we provide an explanation for three features that characterize the Italian savings rate: by international standards, Italy is a `high-saving' country; the Italian savings rate has declined markedly in the last three decades; the correlation between saving and growth is stronger in Italy than in countries at comparable stages of economic development. We compare the size and characteristics of credit and insurance markets in the major OECD countries and argue that the strikingly low development of Italian capital markets may explain these features of savings in Italy. In the second part of the paper we provide a number of empirical tests to assess the effect of earnings uncertainty and borrowing constraints on household saving. The results suggest that capital market imperfections are the likely source of the high Italian savings rate and of the strong saving-growth correlation. We consider the potential role of the public and informal sectors, bequests and the slope of the earnings profile, but reject these as explanations of Italian savings behaviour.

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Paper provided by C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers in its series CEPR Discussion Papers with number 572.

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Date of creation: Aug 1991
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Handle: RePEc:cpr:ceprdp:572

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Related research
Keywords: Capital Market Imperfections; Saving;

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Find related papers by JEL classification:
G21 - Financial Economics - - Financial Institutions and Services - - - Banks; Other Depository Institutions; Mortgages
O52 - Economic Development, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economywide Country Studies - - - Europe

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  1. Tullio Jappelli & Franco Modigliani, 1998. "The Age-Saving Profile and the Life-Cycle Hypothesis," CSEF Working Papers 09, Centre for Studies in Economics and Finance (CSEF), University of Naples, Italy. [Downloadable!]
  2. Luigi Guiso & Tullio Jappelli, 2000. "Household Portfolios in Italy," CSEF Working Papers 43, Centre for Studies in Economics and Finance (CSEF), University of Naples, Italy. [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  3. Axel Börsch-Supan & Anette Reil-Held & Ralf Rodepeter & Reinhold Schnabel & University of Mannheim & Germany, 2000. "Household Savings in Germany," Macroeconomics 0004053, EconWPA. [Downloadable!]
  4. Albert Ando & Luigi Guiso & Daniele Terlizzese, 1993. "Dissaving by the Elderly, Transfer Motives and Liquidity Constraints," NBER Working Papers 4569, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  5. Börsch-Supan, Axel & Reil-Held, Anette & Rodepeter, Ralf & Schnabel, Reinhold & Winter, Joachim, 1999. "Ersparnisbildung in Deutschland: Meßkonzepte und Ergebnisse auf Basis der EVS," Sonderforschungsbereich 504 Publications 99-02, Sonderforschungsbereich 504, Universität Mannheim & Sonderforschungsbereich 504, University of Mannheim. [Downloadable!]
  6. Luigi Pistaferri & Tullio Jappelli, 1998. "Using Subjective Income Expectations to Test for Excess Sensitivity of Consumption to Predicted Income Growth," CSEF Working Papers 12, Centre for Studies in Economics and Finance (CSEF), University of Naples, Italy. [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  7. Andrea Brandolini & Giovanni D’Alessio & Luigi Cannari & Ivan Faiella, 2004. "Household Wealth Distribution in Italy in the 1990s," Economics Working Paper Archive wp414, Levy Economics Institute, The. [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  8. Luigi Guiso & Anil K. Kashyap & Fabio Panetta & Daniele Terlizzese, 2000. "Will a Common European Monetary Policy Have Asymmetric Effects?," Temi di discussione (Economic working papers) 384, Bank of Italy, Economic Research Department. [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  9. Tullio Jappelli & Marco Pagano, 1998. "The Determinants of Savings: Lessons from Italy," CSEF Working Papers 01, Centre for Studies in Economics and Finance (CSEF), University of Naples, Italy. [Downloadable!]
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  10. Luca Casolaro & Leonardo Gambacorta & Luigi Guiso, 2005. "Regulation, formal and informal enforcement and the development of the household loan market. Lessons from Italy," Temi di discussione (Economic working papers) 560, Bank of Italy, Economic Research Department. [Downloadable!]
  11. Jonathan Crook & Stefan Hochguertel, 2007. "US and European Household Debt and Credit Constraints," Tinbergen Institute Discussion Papers 07-087/3, Tinbergen Institute. [Downloadable!]
  12. Alberto Bisin & Danilo Guaitoli, 1998. "Moral Hazard and Non-Exclusive Contracts," Economics Working Papers 345, Department of Economics and Business, Universitat Pompeu Fabra. [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  13. Börsch-Supan, Axel & Reil-Held, Anette & Rodepeter, Ralf & Schnabel, Reinhold, . "Household Savings in Germany," IVS discussion paper series 577, Institut für Volkswirtschaft und Statistik (IVS), University of Mannheim. [Downloadable!]
  14. Orazio P. Attanasio, 1994. "The Intertemporal Allocation of Consumption: Theory and Evidence," NBER Working Papers 4811, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
    Other versions:
  15. Andrés Escobar & Mauricio Cardenas, 1997. "Savings Determinants in Colombia: 1925-1994," RES Working Papers 3009, Inter-American Development Bank, Research Department. [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  16. Giuseppe Grande & Luigi Ventura, 2001. "Labor Income and Risky Assets under Market Incompleteness: Evidence from Italian Data," Temi di discussione (Economic working papers) 399, Bank of Italy, Economic Research Department. [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  17. Silvia Magri, 2002. "Italian households' debt: determinants of demand and supply," Temi di discussione (Economic working papers) 454, Bank of Italy, Economic Research Department. [Downloadable!]
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