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The location of financial sector FDI: Tax and regulation policy

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  • Merz, Julia
  • Overesch, Michael
  • Wamser, Georg

Abstract

This paper analyzes how corporate taxation and regulatory requirements affect the location of financial sector FDI. We use novel information on new financial services entities established by multinational firms in 83 host countries. We find a negative effect of host country taxes on the probability of choosing a particular host location. We can also confirm a significant influence of the regulatory environment. For example, stricter (equity) capital requirements negatively affect location probabilities. Our empirical approach allows us to provide new insight in how a policy measure of a given country affects other countries by estimating cross-country tax and regulation elasticities.

Suggested Citation

  • Merz, Julia & Overesch, Michael & Wamser, Georg, 2017. "The location of financial sector FDI: Tax and regulation policy," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 78(C), pages 14-26.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jbfina:v:78:y:2017:i:c:p:14-26
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jbankfin.2017.01.001
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    2. Ronald B. Davies & Iulia Siedschlag & Zuzanna Studnicka, 2021. "The impact of taxes on the extensive and intensive margins of FDI," International Tax and Public Finance, Springer;International Institute of Public Finance, vol. 28(2), pages 434-464, April.
    3. Amendolagine, Vito & Bruno, Randolph Luca & Cipollina, Maria & De Pascale, Gianluigi, 2023. "Minimum Global Tax: Winners and Losers in the Race for Mergers and Acquisitions," IZA Discussion Papers 16144, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    4. Yildirim, Canan & Kasman, Adnan & Gulamhussen, Mohamed Azzim, 2023. "Efficiency of multinational banks: Impacts of geographic and product loci," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 32(5).
    5. Ronald B. Davies & Neill Killeen, 2018. "The Effect of Tax Treaties on Market Based Finance: Evidence using Firm-Level Data," Working Papers 201818, School of Economics, University College Dublin.
    6. Federico Carril-Caccia & Aitor Garmendia-Lazcano & Asier Minondo, 2022. "The border effect on mergers and acquisitions," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 62(3), pages 1267-1292, March.
    7. Andreas Haufler & Ian Wooton, 2021. "Multinational banks in regulated markets: Is financial integration desirable?," Canadian Journal of Economics/Revue canadienne d'économique, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 54(4), pages 1811-1841, November.
    8. Yildirim, Canan & Efthyvoulou, Georgios, 2018. "Bank value and geographic diversification: regional vs global," Journal of Financial Stability, Elsevier, vol. 36(C), pages 225-245.
    9. Alvaro Cuervo-Cazurra & Bernardo Silva-Rêgo & Ariane Figueira, 2022. "Financial and fiscal incentives and inward foreign direct investment: When quality institutions substitute incentives," Journal of International Business Policy, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 5(4), pages 417-443, December.
    10. Basu, Debarati & Mitra, Shabana & Purohit, Archana, 2023. "Does effective democracy explain MNE location choice?: Attractiveness to FDI and cross-border M&As," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 167(C).
    11. Fourné, Sebastian P.L. & Zschoche, Miriam & Schwens, Christian & Kotha, Reddi, 2023. "Multinational family firms’ internationalization depth and breadth following the global financial crisis," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 58(3).
    12. Hoppe, Thomas & Schanz, Deborah & Sturm, Susann & Sureth, Caren & Voget, Johannes, 2020. "The relation between tax complexity and foreign direct investment: Evidence across countries," arqus Discussion Papers in Quantitative Tax Research 250, arqus - Arbeitskreis Quantitative Steuerlehre.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Financial sector taxation; Multinational banks; Corporate taxation; Mixed logit model;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • F3 - International Economics - - International Finance
    • G21 - Financial Economics - - Financial Institutions and Services - - - Banks; Other Depository Institutions; Micro Finance Institutions; Mortgages
    • G28 - Financial Economics - - Financial Institutions and Services - - - Government Policy and Regulation
    • H87 - Public Economics - - Miscellaneous Issues - - - International Fiscal Issues; International Public Goods

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