THE ENDOGENEITY OF BUSINESS CYCLE SYNCHRONISATION IN SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY

This paper investigates the endogeneity hypothesis of optimal currency area (OCA) criterion, that is, business cycles synchronisation, in a panel of Southern African Development Community (SADC) member countries, for the period 1994–2016. Using a Generalised Method of Moments (GMM), the study finds that, amongst other factors, trade induces business cycles comovement. This finding lends support to the endogeneity hypothesis of OCA theory.