Hot money and economic performance: An empirical analysis

The present study empirically examines the importance of foreign portfolio investment (FPI) or hot money from certain investor(s) or country(s) on Malaysian economic performance. In methodology, the study uses vector error correction (VECM) model of FPI inflows from major investors such as the United States, United Kingdom, Singapore and Hong Kong and Malaysian real GDP using quarterly data covering the period of Q1:1991 to Q3:2007. For further inferences, the study adopts an innovation accounting by simulating variance decompositions (VDC) and impulse response functions (IRF). It is found that the country’s GDP is highly attributable to UK FPI inflow especially in the long run