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Does Commercial Microfinance Belong to the Financial Sector? Lessons from the Stock Market

Author

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  • Marie Brière

    (LEDa - Laboratoire d'Economie de Dauphine - IRD - Institut de Recherche pour le Développement - Université Paris Dauphine-PSL - PSL - Université Paris sciences et lettres - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique)

  • Ariane Szafarz

    (ULB - Université libre de Bruxelles)

Abstract

This paper is the first to draw a global picture of worldwide microfinance equity by taking full advantage of daily quoted prices. We revisit previous findings showing that investors should consider microfinance as a self-standing sector. Our results are threefold. First, microfinance has become less risky and more closely correlated with the financial sector. This convergence is associated with a decline in the proportion of women borrowers. Second, microfinance and finance shares have equivalent currency exposure. Last, introducing a self-standing microfinance sector presents few diversification benefits. This paper confirms that microfinance has changed dramatically during the last decade.

Suggested Citation

  • Marie Brière & Ariane Szafarz, 2015. "Does Commercial Microfinance Belong to the Financial Sector? Lessons from the Stock Market," Post-Print hal-01491987, HAL.
    • Handle: RePEc:hal:journl:hal-01491987
    DOI: 10.1016/j.worlddev.2014.10.007
    Note: View the original document on HAL open archive server: https://hal.science/hal-01491987
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Microfinance; South Africa; Kenya; Indonesia; Bangladesh; Mexico;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • G10 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - General (includes Measurement and Data)
    • G15 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - International Financial Markets
    • O16 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Financial Markets; Saving and Capital Investment; Corporate Finance and Governance
    • G21 - Financial Economics - - Financial Institutions and Services - - - Banks; Other Depository Institutions; Micro Finance Institutions; Mortgages

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