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Targets, Interest Rates, and Household Saving in Urban China

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  • Mr. Malhar S Nabar

Abstract

This paper studies a panel of China's provinces over the period 1996-2009 during which urban household saving rates increased from 19 percent of disposable income to 30 percent. It finds that the increase in urban saving rates is negatively associated with the decline in real interest rates over this period. This negative association suggests that Chinese households save with a target level of saving in mind. When the return to saving declines (increases), it becomes more difficult (easier) to meet a target and households increase (lower) their saving out of current disposable income to compensate. The results are robust across specifications and to the inclusion of additional variables. A main policy implication is that an increase in real deposit rates may help lower household saving and boost domestic consumption.

Suggested Citation

  • Mr. Malhar S Nabar, 2011. "Targets, Interest Rates, and Household Saving in Urban China," IMF Working Papers 2011/223, International Monetary Fund.
    • Handle: RePEc:imf:imfwpa:2011/223
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    6. Joshua Aizenman & Yin-Wong Cheung & Hiro Ito, 2019. "The Interest Rate Effect on Private Saving: Alternative Perspectives," Journal of International Commerce, Economics and Policy (JICEP), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 10(01), pages 1-37, February.
    7. Diego Anzoategui & Miss Mali Chivakul & Wojciech Maliszewski, 2015. "Financial Distortions in China: A General Equilibrium Approach," IMF Working Papers 2015/274, International Monetary Fund.
    8. Mali Chivakul & Bernhard Kassner, 2019. "Can Consumption Growth in China Keep Up as Investment Slows?," Comparative Economic Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Association for Comparative Economic Studies, vol. 61(3), pages 381-412, September.
    9. Mirpourian, Mehrdad, 2020. "A Gendered Look at Savings Behavior among Nigerian Microsavers," MPRA Paper 103062, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    10. Kevin Luo & Tomoko Kinugasa, 2020. "Challenges for China’s economic development: the saving glut and policy implication," International Journal of Economic Policy Studies, Springer, vol. 14(1), pages 47-75, February.
    11. Nicholas R. Lardy & Nicholas Borst, 2013. "A Blueprint for Rebalancing the Chinese Economy," Policy Briefs PB13-2, Peterson Institute for International Economics.
    12. Ms. Mitali Das & Mr. Papa M N'Diaye, 2013. "Chronicle of a Decline Foretold: Has China Reached the Lewis Turning Point?," IMF Working Papers 2013/026, International Monetary Fund.
    13. Bussière, Matthieu & Kalantzis, Yannick & Lafarguette, Romain & Sicular, Terry, 2013. "Understanding household savings in China: the role of the housing market and borrowing constraints," MPRA Paper 44611, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    14. Willem Vanlaer & Samantha Bielen & Wim Marneffe, 2020. "Consumer Confidence and Household Saving Behaviors: A Cross-Country Empirical Analysis," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 147(2), pages 677-721, January.
    15. Xi Li & Yikai Wang & Tong Zhang, 2018. "China's Financial System and Economic Imbalances," HKUST IEMS Working Paper Series 2018-53, HKUST Institute for Emerging Market Studies, revised Feb 2018.
    16. Mirpourian, Mehrdad, 2020. "A Gendered Look at Savings Behavior among Nigerian Microsavers," MPRA Paper 103221, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    17. Ross Kendall, 2014. "Economic linkages between New Zealand and China," Reserve Bank of New Zealand Analytical Notes series AN2014/06, Reserve Bank of New Zealand.
    18. Philemon Kwame Opoku, 2019. "The Short-Run and Long-Run Determinants of Household Saving:Evidence from OECD countries," Working Papers REM 2019/0110, ISEG - Lisbon School of Economics and Management, REM, Universidade de Lisboa.
    19. M. Albert & C. Jude & C. Rebillard, 2015. "The Long Landing Scenario: Rebalancing from Overinvestment and Excessive Credit Growth. Implications for Potential Growth in China," Working papers 572, Banque de France.
    20. Atella, Vincenzo & Brugiavini, Agar & Pace, Noemi, 2015. "The health care system reform in China: Effects on out-of-pocket expenses and saving," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 34(C), pages 182-195.
    21. Dimitar Damyanov, 2016. "Real Returns, Interest Income Tax, and Household Saving in Bulgaria," Economic Alternatives, University of National and World Economy, Sofia, Bulgaria, issue 1, pages 15-23, March.
    22. Philemon Kwame Opoku, 0. "The Short-Run and Long-Run Determinants of Household Saving: Evidence from OECD Economies," Comparative Economic Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Association for Comparative Economic Studies, vol. 0, pages 1-35.
    23. Xinhua Gu & Bihong Huang & Pui Sun Tam & Yang Zhang, 2015. "Inequality and Saving: Further Evidence from Integrated Economies," Review of Development Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 19(1), pages 15-30, February.
    24. Berkelmans, Leon & Kelly, Gerard & Sadeghian, Dena, 2016. "Chinese monetary policy and the banking system," Journal of Asian Economics, Elsevier, vol. 46(C), pages 38-55.
    25. Guonan Ma & Ivan Roberts & Gerard Kelly, 2016. "A Rebalancing Chinese Economy: Challenges and International Implications," RBA Annual Conference Volume (Discontinued), in: Iris Day & John Simon (ed.),Structural Change in China: Implications for Australia and the World, Reserve Bank of Australia.

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