Has globalization increased the synchronicity of international business cycles?

Berge, Travis (2012): Has globalization increased the synchronicity of international business cycles? Published in: Economic Review No. Q3 (2012)

Abstract

The past 30 years have been witness to an inexorable change in the degree to which economies are connected internationally. At the same time, the 2007-2008 recession was the first ‘global recession’ in decades. This article explores how international trade and cross-border holdings financial assets impact the synchronization of business cycles internationally. The paper begins by producing chronologies of business cycle turning points for a group of 32 major economies covering 40 years of history. With these chronologies in hand, we document the degree of bilateral business cycle synchronization, relating cross-country differences in synchronization to bilateral trade and financial linkages. The analysis confirms that countries with deep trade linkages tend to experience similar business cycle fluctuations. However, we find no such relationship for financial linkages.

• Item Type: MPRA Paper
• Language: English
• Keywords: Globalization; international business cycle synchronization
• Subjects: F - International Economics > F4 - Macroeconomic Aspects of International Trade and Finance

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