Evaluating the Asymmetric Causal Relationship between Hydrocarbon products Consumption and Economic Growth in Iran

This paper analyzes the existence of an asymmetric causality relationship between the consumption of hydrocarbon products in four sectors: residential-commercial, manufacturing, agricultural, and transportation, and the economic growth of Iran during the years 1981-2017. To achieve this goal, the effect of positive and negative shocks of the mentioned variables is investigated using the asymmetric causality approach of Hatemi-J (2012). Research results suggest a two-way causal relationship between the positive shocks of economic growth and the consumption of carriers of hydrocarbons in all four residential-commercial, manufacturing, agricultural and transportation sectors. There is a two-way causal relationship between negative economic growth shocks and hydrocarbon carriers’ consumption in agriculture and transportation, and a one-way causal relationship between hydrocarbon energy carriers’ consumption and economic growth in the residential-commercial and industrial sectors. There is no causal relationship between non-directional shocks of hydrocarbon consumption and economic growth.