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Trade, Financial Frictions, and the Missing Manufacturing Window

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Abstract

Why do some economies experience a pronounced manufacturing phase during structural transformation, while others move more directly into low-skilled services? This paper shows that financial underdevelopment, by shaping export competitiveness and domestic investment demand, is a quantitatively important driver of flat-manufacturing paths. Motivating evidence links financial depth to manufacturing activity and export performance. We then quantify the mechanism in a dynamic multi-country model of structural transformation and trade, where financial underdevelopment both weakens competitiveness in finance-dependent sectors and lowers demand for manufacturing-intensive investment goods. Moving flat-manufacturing economies halfway to the financial frontier closes over a quarter of the observed flat–steep peak gap; it raises real output per worker by 13 to 17 percent and real consumption per worker by 8 to 12 percent. Paired with lower nonfinancial trade costs, the same financial improvement closes almost three quarters of the peak gap, as finance shapes the manufacturing response that openness amplifies.

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  • Marta Domínguez-Jiménez & Santiago Etchegaray, 2026. "Trade, Financial Frictions, and the Missing Manufacturing Window," Working Papers wp2026_2607, CEMFI.
    • Handle: RePEc:cmf:wpaper:wp2026_2607
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    1. Marcel P. Timmer & Erik Dietzenbacher & Bart Los & Robert Stehrer & Gaaitzen J. Vries, 2015. "An Illustrated User Guide to the World Input–Output Database: the Case of Global Automotive Production," Review of International Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 23(3), pages 575-605, August.
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    3. Ippei Fujiwara & Kiminori Matsuyama, 2024. "A Technology-Gap Model of 'Premature' Deindustrialization," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 114(11), pages 3714-3745, November.
    4. Ju, Jiandong & Wei, Shang-Jin, 2011. "When is quality of financial system a source of comparative advantage?," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 84(2), pages 178-187, July.
    5. Hagen Kruse & Emmanuel Mensah & Kunal Sen & Gaaitzen Vries, 2023. "A Manufacturing (Re)Naissance? Industrialization in the Developing World," IMF Economic Review, Palgrave Macmillan;International Monetary Fund, vol. 71(2), pages 439-473, June.
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    More about this item

    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • F12 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Models of Trade with Imperfect Competition and Scale Economies; Fragmentation
    • F14 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Empirical Studies of Trade
    • F36 - International Economics - - International Finance - - - Financial Aspects of Economic Integration
    • F43 - International Economics - - Macroeconomic Aspects of International Trade and Finance - - - Economic Growth of Open Economies
    • O14 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Industrialization; Manufacturing and Service Industries; Choice of Technology
    • O16 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Financial Markets; Saving and Capital Investment; Corporate Finance and Governance

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