A growing theoretical literature describes mechanisms whereby even predictable increases in
the rate of inflation interfere with the ability of the financial sector to allocate resources effectively.
This paper empirically assesses these predictions. The evidence indicates that there is a significant, and
economically important, negative relationship between inflation and both banking sector development
and equity market activity. Further, the relationship is nonlinear. As inflation rises, the marginal impact
of inflation on banking lending activity and stock market development diminishes rapidly. Moreover, we
find evidence of thresholds. For economies with inflation rates exceeding 15 percent, there is a discrete
drop in financial sector performance. Finally, while the data indicate that more inflation is not matched
by greater nominal equity returns in low-inflation countries, nominal stock returns move essentially onefor-
one with marginal increases in inflation in high-inflation economies