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Declining Fixed Investment and Increasing Financial Investment of Korean Corporations

Author

Listed:
  • Kim, Daehwan

    (Department of Economics, Konkuk University)

  • Kwon, Sunhee

    (Department of Global Economics, Daejin University)

  • Ryou, Jai-Won

    (Department of Economics, Konkuk University)

Abstract

This paper aims to determine factors causing the stagnation of Korean firms’ fixed investment after the global financial crisis, using panel data for the period of 1999-2016. Fixed investment remained sensitive to cash flow and Tobin’s q although their effects decreased after the global financial crisis. A decreasing trend of cash flow and an increase in Tobin’s q since the early 2000’s imply that the worsening cash flow was a major factor behind the sluggish investment after the crisis. Meanwhile, debt-equity ratio remained significant for non-chaebol affiliated firms, reflecting disparity in access to external financing. Volatility of stock returns also became insignificant after the crisis, casting doubt on the argument that uncertainty was a major factor contributing to the decline of fixed investment. Analysis of financial investment confirmed the significant effect of cash flow, larger than that on financial investment than on fixed investment. In particular, debt repayment and other financial investment, except share repurchase, were sensitive to cash flow. However, the substitution of fixed investment by financial investment is a consequence, rather than a cause of declining fixed investment.

Suggested Citation

  • Kim, Daehwan & Kwon, Sunhee & Ryou, Jai-Won, 2019. "Declining Fixed Investment and Increasing Financial Investment of Korean Corporations," East Asian Economic Review, Korea Institute for International Economic Policy, vol. 23(4), pages 353-379, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:ris:eaerev:0367
    DOI: 10.11644/KIEP.EAER.2019.23.4.367
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    Cited by:

    1. Kuusi, Tero & Ali-Yrkkö, Jyrki, 2021. "BITs with a Bite? EU Home Investment Effects of EU-China Bilateral Investment Treaties," ETLA Reports 115, The Research Institute of the Finnish Economy.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Stagnant Fixed Investment; Financial Investment; Cash Flow; Tobin’s q; Global Financial Crisis;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • E22 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Consumption, Saving, Production, Employment, and Investment - - - Investment; Capital; Intangible Capital; Capacity
    • G31 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - Capital Budgeting; Fixed Investment and Inventory Studies
    • G32 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - Financing Policy; Financial Risk and Risk Management; Capital and Ownership Structure; Value of Firms; Goodwill

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