By: |
María del Carmen Dircio Palacios Macedo (Department of Economics, Universitat Jaume I, Castellón, Spain);
Paula Cruz-García (Department of Economic Analysis, Universitat de Valencia, Spain);
Fausto Hernández-Trillo (Center for Research and Teaching in Economics (CIDE), Mexico);
Emili Tortosa-Ausina (IVIE, Valencia and IIDL and Department of Economics, Universitat Jaume I, Castellón, Spain) |
Abstract: |
Access to financial services is unequal around the world. In many countries,
les than half of the population has an account at a financial institution, and
this lack of access to finance is often a critical reason behind income
inequality and uneven growth. This is the case of Mexico, where financial
exclusion affects large shares of the population mainly in rural and poorer
localities. This is an ongoing concern for policymakers, since it undermines
socioeconomic opportunities for families and businesses alike, hampering
economic growth and development. However, assessing the relevance of this
issue requires a careful measurement of financial inclusion which, to date,
has only been achieved to a limited extent. We contribute to the literature in
this context by proposing a multivariate index of financial inclusion for
Mexico, at the municipal level, for the period 2013–2021. This index covers
several dimensions, including access, and usage. The results corroborate that
a large proportion of the population is still unbanked, although it is
unevenly distributed across the country. |
Keywords: |
composite indicator, financial inclusion, Mexican municipalities, Mexico |
JEL: |
G21 G23 G30 O16 R51 |
Date: |
2024 |
URL: |
https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:jau:wpaper:2024/06 |