The impact of institutional quality on the relation between FDI and house prices in ASEAN emerging countries

Abstract: This study investigates the relationship between house prices and capital inflows in ASEAN emerging economies, and the impact of institutional quality on that relation. Using a unique balanced panel data set of six emerging countries in ASEAN from 2009 to 2019, we employ various econometric techniques to examine the impact of foreign direct investment (FDI) on the house price index. Our findings indicate a long-run relationship and Granger causality from FDI to the house price index in these markets, and we also find evidence of co-movement between the stock price index and the house price index. Additionally, our results suggest that better institutions reduce the impact of FDI on host country housing markets in the context of ASEAN emerging economies. This is one of the first studies to shed light on the role of institutional quality in the effect of FDIs on housing prices in this region.