Credit composition and economic growth: the case of Argentina

Abstract

Since the second half of the 1990´s Argentina´s credit composition has experienced an outstanding transformation. Throughout our data research we can assert that there has been a plunge in the proportion of long-term capital credits whereas the proportion of household consumption credits, denoting short term loans, have presented a steep rise in the 2004-2010 period. The aims of this paper are, first, to identify the reasons of the previously mentioned phenomenon and, then, to focus on the impact that such phenomenon could have in Argentina´s economic growth in the near future. We have developed a theoretical framework that can replicate qualitatively Argentina´s experience through an endogenous growth model with overlapping generations which we use to appraise the consequences that this credit substitution might have on economic growth.