Kennickell (Federal Reserve Board) and Peter Tufano (University of Oxford) act as external consultants, and Sébastien Pérez Duarte (ECB) and Jiri Slacalek (ECB) as Secretaries. The HFCN collects household-level data on households' fi nances and consumption in the euro area through a harmonised survey. The HFCN aims at studying in depth the micro-level structural information on euro area households' assets and liabilities. The objectives of the network are: 1) understanding economic behaviour of individual households, developments in aggregate variables and the interactions between the two; 2) evaluating the impact of shocks, policies and institutional changes on household portfolios and other variables; 3) understanding the implications of heterogeneity for aggregate variables; 4) estimating choices of different households and their reaction to economic shocks; 5) building and calibrating realistic economic models incorporating heterogeneous agents; 6) gaining insights into issues such as monetary policy transmission and fi nancial stability. The refereeing process of this paper has been coordinated by a team composed of Gabriel Fagan (ECB), Pirmin Fessler (Oesterreichische Nationalbank),

In this paper, we examine the relationship between the structure of the real economy and a country's financial system. We consider whether the development of the real economic structure can predict the direction of evolution of a country's financial structure. Using data for 108 countries, we find a significant relationship between real economic structure and financial structure. Next, we exploit shocks to the economies in India, Finland and Sweden, and South Korea and show that changes in the economic structure of a country influence the evolution of its financial system. This suggests that financial institutions and capital markets change in response to the structure of industries.

No abstract

In this paper, we examine the relationship between the structure of the real economy and a country's financial system. We consider whether the development of the real economic structure can predict the direction of evolution of a country's financial structure. Using data for 108 countries, we find a significant relationship between real economic structure and financial structure. Next, we exploit shocks to the economies in India, Finland and Sweden, and South Korea and show that changes in the economic structure of a country influence the evolution of its financial system. This suggests that financial institutions and capital markets change in response to the structure of industries.

No abstract