Effect of Export Upgrading on Financial Development

Using a panel dataset comprising 137 countries (both developed and developing countries) over the period 1970-2010, this paper has examined the effect of export upgrading (i.e., export product diversification and export product quality improvement) on financial development. The findings suggest that export product diversification and export product quality improvement influence positively and significantly financial development in high income countries (HICs) and developing countries alike. However, for least developed countries (LDCs), export product diversification promotes financial development, but export product quality improvement exerts a negative effect on financial development.