Unlocking efficiency: How capital market liberalization shapes firm productivity

Abstract

This study examines the granular impact of capital market liberalization on the real economy, utilizing the distinctive context of the Chinese market as a quasi-natural experimental setting. Our analysis demonstrates that capital market liberalization positively influences firm-level productivity. We further explore the mechanisms and provide empirical evidence that capital market liberalization improves asset pricing efficiency by enhancing informed trading effectiveness and rectifying stock mispricing. It also optimizes corporate governance from four distinct perspectives: mitigating agency costs, augmenting operational profitability, bolstering labor productivity, and enhancing transparency. These factors collectively contribute to improved productivity at the firm level, confirming the granular impact of financial liberalization in the product market.