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on Monetary Economics |
| By: | Roberto Robatto (University of Wisconsin-Madison) |
| Abstract: | This paper presents a general equilibrium monetary model of fundamentals-based bank runs to study monetary injections during financial crises. When the probability of runs is positive, depositors increase money demand and reduce deposits; at the economy-wide level, the velocity of money drops and deflation arises. Two quantitative examples show that the model accounts for a large fraction of (i) the drop in deposits during the Great Depression and (ii) the $400 billion run on money market mutual funds in September 2008. In some circumstances, monetary injections have no effects on prices but reduce money velocity and deposits. Counterfactual policy analyses show that, if the Federal Reserve had not intervened in September 2008, the run on money market mutual funds would have been $141 billion smaller. |
| Date: | 2018 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:red:sed018:276&r=mon |
| By: | Martin Kliem (Deutsche Bundesbank); Alexander Meyer-Gohde (University of Hamburg) |
| Abstract: | Central banks are relying increasingly on multiple instruments when implementing monetary policy. This presents empirical analyses of the effects of monetary policy shocks with an ongoing identification challenge. We provide a structural, quantitatively reasonable model of the interaction between monetary policy and the term structure of interest rates to address this. Our model shows that the effects of monetary policy shocks on term premia depend crucially on whether they contain news about future monetary policy. This structural interpretation provides a plausible explanation for the discrepancy in the existing empirical literature. |
| Date: | 2018 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:red:sed018:102&r=mon |
| By: | Rajesh Singh (Iowa State University) |
| Abstract: | We investigate the welfare implications of alternative monetary policy rules in a small open economy with access to world capital markets. Financial market access is costly and induces an endogenous segmentation of households into non-traders who never participate and traders who only participate intermittently in asset markets. The model can reproduce standard business cycle moments of open economies including a countercyclical current account even though the model has no capital and investment. Our main policy result is that procyclical monetary policy outperforms both the Taylor rule and inflation targeting in this environment. Given widespread evidence of endemic financial exclusion throughout the world, these results suggest caution in importing monetary policy prescriptions tailored for developed countries into emerging economies. |
| Date: | 2018 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:red:sed018:76&r=mon |
| By: | Uros Duric (Technical University Darmstadt) |
| Abstract: | Despite being at the core of central bankers? and investors? interest, the question of the European Central Bank?s influence on global stock markets has not yet been fully answered. This paper aims to fill this gap by examining the influence of ECB monetary policy on 46 small open economies? stock markets around the world. Using the data from the Swiss Economic Institute?s Monetary Policy Communicator (MPC), a differentiation is made between ECB actions and future policy communication effects. Contractionary ECB monetary policy proves to exert a negative impact on stock markets worldwide, with the results being statistically significant for 41 out of 46 countries. A positive 50 b.p. shock to the ECB interest rate leads to a 2.9% fall in stock markets on average when looking at the two-months window after the shock. A corresponding shock to the MPC index results in a 4.2% fall. Results imply that the inclusion of communication variable is crucial for estimating the full effects of ECB monetary policy. |
| Keywords: | Monetary policy, stock markets, international spillovers, central bank communication,interest rates. |
| JEL: | E52 F42 G15 |
| Date: | 2018–06 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:sek:iacpro:6408453&r=mon |
| By: | Ferrero, Andrea; Seneca, Martin |
| Abstract: | The central bank of a commodity-exporting small open economy faces the traditional stabilization tradeoff between domestic inflation and output gap. The commodity sector introduces a terms-of-trade inefficiency that gives rise to an endogenous cost-push shock, changes the target level for output, reduces the slope of the Phillips curve, and increases the importance of stabilizing the output gap. Optimal monetary policy calls for a reduction of the interest rate following a drop in the oil price. In contrast, a central bank with a mandate to stabilize consumer price inflation needs to raise interest rates to limit the inflationary impact of an exchange rate depreciation. |
| Keywords: | monetary policy; oil export; small open economy |
| JEL: | E52 E58 Q30 |
| Date: | 2018–08 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:cpr:ceprdp:13108&r=mon |
| By: | José Ignacio López Gaviria (Universidad de los Andes); Virginia Olivella (Banque de France) |
| Abstract: | This paper discusses the relation between monetary policy and currency risk premium in the context of a model in which central banks diverge in terms of the preferences and act either under discretion or commitment. The model is able to reproduce sizable foreign currency risk premium under discretion when the central bank in the foreign country is less conservative than the monetary authority at home which leads to higher nominal interest rates and a counter-cyclical inflation in the foreign country. The model when calibrated to match key moments of real and nominal macroeconomic variables of Latin America countries can explain the excess returns of the currencies of the region. |
| Date: | 2018 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:red:sed018:321&r=mon |
| By: | Carvalho, Carlos (Central Bank of Brazil); Nechio, Fernanda (Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco); Tristao, Tiago (Opus [Organization]) |
| Abstract: | Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) estimation of monetary policy rules produces potentially inconsistent estimates of policy parameters. The reason is that central banks react to variables, such as inflation and the output gap, which are endogenous to monetary policy shocks. Endogeneity implies a correlation between regressors and the error term, and hence, an asymptotic bias. In principle, Instrumental Variables (IV) estimation can solve this endogeneity problem. In practice, IV estimation poses challenges as the validity of potential instruments also depends on other economic relationships. We argue in favor of OLS estimation of monetary policy rules. To that end, we show analytically in the three-equation New Keynesian model that the asymptotic OLS bias is proportional to the fraction of the variance of regressors accounted for by monetary policy shocks. Using Monte Carlo simulation, we then show that this relationship also holds in a quantitative model of the U.S. economy. As monetary policy shocks explain only a small fraction of the variance of regressors typically included in monetary policy rules, the endogeneity bias is small. Using simulations, we show that, for realistic sample sizes, the OLS estimator of monetary policy parameters outperforms IV estimators. |
| JEL: | E47 E50 E52 E58 |
| Date: | 2018–09–06 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:fip:fedfwp:2018-11&r=mon |
| By: | Donato Masciandaro |
| Abstract: | The 2007-2008 global financial crisis highlighted the importance of establishing macroprudential architectures to address problems of financial stability. Central banks are always part of macroprudential settings, but their role is far from homogeneous across countries. How can this heterogeneity be explained? The aim of the chapter is twofold. First, it offers a systematic review of the economics of central bank involvement in macroprudential policies, which leads to the conclusion that political motivations are highly relevant drivers. Second, given this insight, it explores the institutional settings in 31 advanced and emerging market economies and sheds light on several key drivers of the central banker’s role as a macroprudential supervisor: central bankers who are already in charge of microeconomic supervision and less politically independent are more likely to be granted extended macroprudential powers. The same is true for central bankers who have low levels of monetary policy discretion. |
| Date: | 2018 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:baf:cbafwp:cbafwp1878&r=mon |
| By: | Richter, Björn; Schularick, Moritz; Shim, Ilhyock |
| Abstract: | Central banks increasingly rely on macroprudential measures to manage the financial cycle. However, the effects of such policies on the core objectives of monetary policy to stabilise output and inflation are largely unknown. In this paper we quantify the effects of changes in maximum loan-to-value (LTV) ratios on output and inflation. We rely on a narrative identification approach based on detailed reading of policy-makers' objectives when implementing the measures. We find that over a four year horizon, a 10 percentage point decrease in the maximum LTV ratio leads to a 1.1% reduction in output. As a rule of thumb, the impact of a 10 percentage point LTV tightening can be viewed as roughly comparable to that of a 25 basis point increase in the policy rate. However, the effects are imprecisely estimated and the effect is only present in emerging market economies. We also find that tightening LTV limits has larger economic effects than loosening them. At the same time, we show that changes in maximum LTV ratios have substantial effects on credit and house price growth. Using inverse propensity weights to rerandomise LTV actions, we show that these effects are likely causal. |
| Keywords: | loan-to-value ratios; local projections; macroprudential policy; narrative approach |
| JEL: | E58 G28 |
| Date: | 2018–08 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:cpr:ceprdp:13124&r=mon |
| By: | Alain N. Kabundi; Montfort Mlachila |
| Abstract: | This paper investigates the key factors that explain the documented decline in the exchange rate pass-through in South Africa over the past two decades, which coincides with the adoption of the inflation-targeting regime. The paper conjectures, in line with the literature, that this outcome is largely due to improved monetary policy credibility. To do this, it first documents the factors that explain monetary policy credibility. Using the standard deviation of individual inflation forecasts as a measure of monetary policy credibility, its shows that the latter is negatively affected by the level of inflation itself, monetary policy uncertainty, and a measure of the unobserved stochastic volatility of inflation. The second phase proceeds by analyzing the determinants of the pass-through using the monetary policy credibility index derived from the first phase. The paper confirms the remarkable achievement that, despite the many shocks that the economy has witnessed, the declining pass-through is indeed explained by the improving monetary policy credibility. |
| Keywords: | South Africa;Sub-Saharan Africa;Central banks and their policies;Exchange rate pass-through;monetary policy credibility, Monetary Policy (Targets, Instruments, and Effects) |
| Date: | 2018–07–30 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:imf:imfwpa:18/173&r=mon |
| By: | Geraldine Dany-Knedlik; Juan Angel Garcia |
| Abstract: | This paper investigates the evolution of inflation dynamics in the five largest ASEAN countries between 1997 and 2017. To account for changes in the monetary policy frameworks since the Asian Financial Crisis (AFC), the analysis is based on country-specific Phillips Curves allowing for time-varying parameters. The paper finds evidence of a higher degree of forward-looking dynamics and a better anchoring of inflation expectations, consistent with the improvements in monetary policy frameworks in the region. In contrast, the quantitative impact of cyclical fluctuations and import prices has gradually diminished over time. |
| Keywords: | Phillips curve, monetary policy, inflation expectations, ASEAN countries |
| JEL: | C22 E31 E5 |
| Date: | 2018 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:diw:diwwpp:dp1755&r=mon |
| By: | Paul Beaudry (University of British Columbia); Amartya Lahiri (University of British Columbia) |
| Abstract: | We uncover a curious data fact. Countries which have switched to inflation targeting have seen their currencies turn into oil currencies with rising oil prices inducing a currency appreciation while in the pre-inflation targeting regime there was no such relationship. Importantly, this data fact holds independent of whether the country is a net oil exporter or importer. We show that one possible explanation for this is that inflation targeting in open economies renders the equilibrium dynamics indeterminate when uncovered interest parity (UIP) does not hold. In such situations, oil prices may well act as a focal point for currency pricing decisions. |
| Date: | 2018 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:red:sed018:189&r=mon |
| By: | Bignon, Vincent; Flandreau, Marc |
| Abstract: | This paper offers a comprehensive (short) history of central banking in France, starting in the 18th century and finishing with the creation of the Euro in 2001. We first discuss how the French experience with central banking in the 18th century shaped the drafting of the charter and the governance of the Bank of France in 1800. We then single out how the Bank implements its monetary policy in the 19th century and assess the bank achievement in terms of monetary and financial stability. Finally we discuss how the sovereign debt overhang triggered by World War I and the reconstruction subverted the model of central banking previously implemented, and how the reluctance of the Bank to be implicated in the management of the sovereign yield ultimately leads to the loss of its independence vis-a-vis the state. Against this background the use of financial repression under the guidance of the state allowed a smoother management of the debt overhang during the post WW II period, but created its own issues that were addressed effectively only with the creation of the Euro. |
| JEL: | E58 N23 N24 |
| Date: | 2018–08 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:cpr:ceprdp:13138&r=mon |
| By: | Alejandro M. Rodríguez |
| Abstract: | In the Argentine hyperinflations of 1989 and 1990, quasi-fiscal deficits were a major part of the problem. The Central Bank´s quasi-fiscal activities are financed directly by money printing but in some cases the monetary authority tries to sterilize the effect on the money supply by issuing debt or by increasing reserve requirements (it is not uncommon to pay interest on reserves when this happens). Thus, a new source of quasi-fiscal deficit arises, i.e. the interest payments on the Bank´s liabilities. When nominal interest rates are high and debt reaches unsustainable levels, the interest payments can take a life of their own leading to hyperinflation. The traditional explanation is that the Central Bank has to finance the quasi-fiscal deficit through the use of the inflation tax but as inflation increases money demand drops and there is a limit to how much revenue can be collected which is determined by a Laffer curve. Trying to finance a quasi-fiscal deficit beyond that limit (or any fiscal deficit for that matter) leads to hyperinflation. In this paper we demonstrate that very high inflation can arise even if money demand is perfectly inelastic with respect to inflation and the real value of interest payments is relatively low. The key insight is that if expected inflation is a function of the current state of the economy the Central Bank has an additional incentive to alter the future state which results in higher inflation today. |
| JEL: | E31 E52 E62 |
| Date: | 2018–08 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:cem:doctra:649&r=mon |
| By: | Lorena Keller (Northwestern University) |
| Abstract: | I identify a novel impact of managing capital flows in emerging markets: Prudential capital controls encourage domestic firms to take more dollar liabilities. This occurs because banks in emerging markets have a fundamental risk problem: households save partially in dollars while firms borrow in local currency. Absent capital controls, banks hedge the associated currency risk with foreign investors. When capital controls are present, banks respond by lending in dollars to domestic firms. I exploit heterogeneity in the strictness of capital controls across Peruvian banks to provide causal evidence of this mechanism and show that it has sizable effects on employment. |
| Date: | 2018 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:red:sed018:129&r=mon |
| By: | Damjan Pfajfar; John M. Roberts |
| Abstract: | The Phillips curve has been much flatter in the past twenty years than in the preceding decades. We consider two hypotheses. One is that prices at the microeconomic level are stickier than they used to be---in the context of the canonical Calvo model, firms are adjusting prices less often. The other is that the expectations of firms and households about future inflation are now less well informed by macroeconomic conditions; because expectations are important in the setting of current-period prices, inflation is therefore less sensitive to macroeconomic conditions. To distinguish between our two hypotheses, we bring to bear information on inflation expectations from surveys, which allow us to distinguish changes in the sensitivity of inflation to economic conditions conditioning on expectations from changes in the sensitivity of expectations themselves to economic conditions. We find that, with some measures, expectations are less tied to economic conditions than in the past, and thus that this reduced attentiveness can account for a significant portion of the reduction in the sensitivity of inflation to economic conditions in recent decades. |
| Keywords: | Phillips curve ; Survey inflation expectations ; Inflation dynamics |
| JEL: | E31 E37 |
| Date: | 2018–08–31 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:fip:fedgfe:2018-62&r=mon |
| By: | Tsutomu Watanabe (Graduate School of Economics, University of Tokyo); Tomoyoshi Yabu (Faculty of Business and Commerce, Keio University) |
| Abstract: | This paper estimates a money demand function using US data from 1980 onward, including the period of near-zero interest rates following the global financial crisis. We conduct cointegration tests to show that the substantial increase in the money-income ratio during the period of near-zero interest rates is captured well by the money demand function in log-log form, but not by that in semi-log form. Our result is the opposite of the result obtained by Ireland (2009), who, using data up until 2006, found that the semi-log specification performs better. The dfference in the result from Ireland (2009) mainly stems from the diffrence in the observation period employed: our observation period contains 24 quarters with interest rates below 1 percent, while Ireland’s (2009) observation period contains only three quarters. We also compute the welfare cost of inflation based on the estimated money demand function to find that it is very small: the welfare cost of 2 percent inflation is only 0.04 percent of national income, which is of a similar magnitude as the estimate obtained by Ireland (2009) but much smaller than the estimate by Lucas (2000). |
| Date: | 2018–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:cfi:fseres:cf444&r=mon |
| By: | Dmitry Matveev (Bank of Canada) |
| Abstract: | This paper studies the effects of government debt under optimal discretionary monetary and fiscal policy when the lower bound on nominal interest rates is occasionally binding. This issue is addressed in a model with the labor income tax and long-term government debt. The risk of a binding lower bound reduces steady-state inflation. This causes an increase in government debt in the steady state. The debt increase and associated tax rate increase mitigate the reduction in inflation by raising the marginal cost of production. At the lower bound, given a fall in output, it is optimal for the government to temporarily reduce debt. This debt reduction stimulates output by lowering expected real interest rates following the liftoff of the nominal rate from the lower bound. |
| Date: | 2018 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:red:sed018:310&r=mon |
| By: | Emmanuel Farhi (Harvard University); Ivan Werning (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) |
| Abstract: | This paper extends the benchmark New-Keynesian model by introducing two key frictions: (1) agent heterogeneity with incomplete markets, uninsurable idiosyncratic risk, and occasionally- binding borrowing constraints; and (2) bounded rationality in the form of level-k thinking. Compared to the benchmark model, we show that the interaction of these two frictions leads to a powerful mitigation of the effects of monetary policy, which is much more pronounced at long horizons, and offers a potential rationalization of the “forward guidance puzzle”. Each of these frictions, in isolation, would lead to no or much smaller departures from the benchmark model. |
| Date: | 2018 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:red:sed018:768&r=mon |
| By: | Mosikari, Teboho Jeremiah; Eita, Joel Hinaunye |
| Abstract: | The objective of this study is to estimate optimal threshold effect of inflation for the economy of Swaziland. The study applied the liner OLS and Two-Stage least squares (2SLS) methods to determine the optimal effect of inflation on growth. It used annual data for the period 1980 to 2015. The results of liner OLS method show that the estimated optimal threshold level is at 12%. The results show that inflation rate beyond optimal level of 12% decrease growth by 1.02%. Similar results were also found in applying 2SLS method, where inflation exerted a negative impact beyond threshold point by 18.5%. These findings on Swaziland economy have crucial implications for monetary policy makers in terms of keeping inflation below the threshold point to sustain a positive economic growth in the long run. |
| Keywords: | economic growth, inflation, threshold level |
| JEL: | E31 O40 |
| Date: | 2018–01–25 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:pra:mprapa:88728&r=mon |
| By: | Olivo, Victor |
| Abstract: | The main objective of this study is to examine empirically the assumption of price stickiness in five Latin American countries that have implemented inflation targeting schemes during the period under study 2000-2016. These countries are Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, and Peru. The study adopts a macroeconomic approach suggested by McCallum (1989, 1996) that in turn follows a methodology proposed by Barro (1977, 1978, 1981), and Barro and Rush (1980). An important contribution of this paper is that it separates monetary shocks in two categories: M1 shocks and policy rate shocks. Both types of shocks exhibit durable effects on real output, though in general, M1 surprises tend to be more persistent than policy rate surprises. |
| Keywords: | Keywords: price stickiness, rational expectations, monetary policy, policy rate shocks, M1 shocks. |
| JEL: | E31 E32 E52 E58 |
| Date: | 2018–08–18 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:pra:mprapa:88589&r=mon |
| By: | Bryan Routledge (Carnegie Mellon University); Ariel Zetlin-Jones (Carnegie Mellon University) |
| Abstract: | Arbitrary speculative attacks on currencies can arise from self-fulfilling expectations. This is a well-studied source of currency crises. In this paper, we show that blockchain distributed ledger technologies, such as those which support Bitcoin and Ethereum, can be adapted to eliminate self-fulfilling speculative attacks on a currency. We show how to develop a stable currency peg, such as Pesos to Dollars, using a cryptocurrency. We show the peg is immune to speculative attacks arising from self-fulfilling prophecies and estimate the size of reserves and transaction costs needed to support the peg. |
| Date: | 2018 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:red:sed018:1160&r=mon |
| By: | Ashraf Khan |
| Abstract: | This paper argues that central bank legal protection contributes to safeguarding a central bank and its financial supervisor’s independence, especially for conducting monetary and financial stability policy. However, such legal protection also entails enhanced accountability. To this end, the paper provides a selected overview of legal protection for central banks and financial supervisors (if the supervisor is part of the central bank), focusing on liability, immunity, and indemnification arrangements, and based on the IMF’s Central Bank Legislation Database. The paper also uses data from the IMF’s Article IV and FSAP Database, and the IMF MCM’s Technical Assistance Database. It lists selected country cases for illustrative purposes. It introduces the concepts of “appropriate legal protection” and “function-specific legal protection” as topics for further research. |
| Keywords: | Central banking;Central banks and their policies;financial supervision, financial regulation, law, liability, immunity, technical assistance, General, Monetary Policy (Targets, Instruments, and Effects) |
| Date: | 2018–08–02 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:imf:imfwpa:18/176&r=mon |
| By: | Gerlach, Stefan; Stuart, Rebecca |
| Abstract: | The Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) releases quarterly its members' views about what federal funds rate will be appropriate at the end of the current and the next two or three years, and in the "longer run." We construct constant horizon interest rate projections one, two and three years ahead and use real-time data on 32 variables to study how these variables impact on the FOMC's interest-rate setting. News regarding the labour market is particularly important. At the shortest horizon, prices and financial market news is also significant; at longer horizons, household's financial situation also matters. |
| Keywords: | Federal Reserve; interest rate expectations; interpolation; monetary policy |
| JEL: | E52 E58 |
| Date: | 2018–08 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:cpr:ceprdp:13117&r=mon |
| By: | Pelizzon, Loriana; Subrahmanyam, Marti G.; Tomio, Davide; Uno, Jun |
| Abstract: | We show that bond purchases undertaken in the context of quantitative easing efforts by the European Central Bank created a large mispricing between the market for German and Italian government bonds and their respective futures contracts. On top of the direct effect the buying pressure exerted on bond prices, we show three indirect effects through which the scarcity of bonds, resulting from the asset purchases, drove a wedge between the futures contracts and the underlying bonds: the deterioration of bond market liquidity, the increased bond specialness on the repurchase agreement market, and the greater uncertainty about bond availability as collateral. |
| Keywords: | Central Bank Interventions,Liquidity,Sovereign Bonds,Futures Contracts,Arbitrage |
| JEL: | G01 G12 G14 |
| Date: | 2018 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:zbw:safewp:226&r=mon |
| By: | Elías Albagli; Erika Arraño; Pablo García |
| Date: | 2018–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:chb:bcchep:65&r=mon |
| By: | Piergallini, Alessandro |
| Abstract: | This paper explores global dynamics in a monetary model with limited asset market participation and the zero lower bound on nominal interest rates. It is shown that a rise in government transfers to ‘non-Ricardian’ consumers financed by debt-based taxes to ‘Ricardian’ consumers is capable of escaping disinflationary paths typically convergent to a liquidity trap. Fiscal policy does not need to be unsustainable at the low inflation steady state to avoid liquidity traps, as argued in the context of the standard single representative agent setup. |
| Keywords: | Fiscal Policy; Multiple Equilibria; Global Dynamics; Liquidity Traps; Non-Ricardian Consumers. |
| JEL: | E31 E62 E63 |
| Date: | 2017–05–20 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:pra:mprapa:88798&r=mon |
| By: | Alexander Berglund; Massimo Guidolin; Manuela Pedio |
| Abstract: | We examine the effects of U.S. monetary policy announcements during and after the Great Financial Crisis on the average abnormal returns (the “alpha”) of the hedge fund industry as a whole and of a range of hedge strategy indices. We apply a variety of tests of increasing sophistication including simple event studies, formal tests for breaks, and Markov switching models. The event studies show that both the overall index and longshort equity and fixed income arbitrage hedge strategies were systematically affected by unexpected monetary policy announcements while other strategies appear to have been less impacted. Formal break point tests show that for all but one strategies as well as the overall index, there is evidence of five breakpoints. For the overall index and most of the sub-indices many of the endogenously determined breaks closely match a list of policy surprise dates that have been already singled out because they had strongly affected financial markets in general. Especially for the long-short equity, fixed income arbitrage, dedicated short-bias, and global macro hedge funds, there is a significant tendency for estimated alphas decline over time, following policy surprises. |
| Keywords: | monetary policy announcements, hedge fund alpha, abnormal returns, financial crisis |
| Date: | 2018 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:baf:cbafwp:cbafwp1884&r=mon |
| By: | Martin Wolf |
| Abstract: | This paper studies optimal policy in economies with downward nominal wage rigidity when only prudential instruments are available. The optimal policy reduces labor demand in expansions as this curtails unemployment in recessions. The cost of the intervention is that in expansions, the economy produces below potential. We characterize this trade-o theoretically and quantitatively by applying our model to Greece, 1999-2016. We and that the optimal prudential policy would have significantly reduced Greek unemployment after the downturn in 2008. Furthermore, we and large welfare gains of the optimal prudential policy, removing about one fourth of the total welfare cost of downward wage rigidity. |
| JEL: | E24 E32 F41 |
| Date: | 2018–08 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:vie:viennp:1804&r=mon |
| By: | Julio Blanco (University of Michigan); Javier Cravino (University of Michigan) |
| Abstract: | We measure the proportion of real exchange rate movements accounted for by cross-country movements in relative reset prices (prices that changed since the previous period) using CPI microdata for the UK, Austria and Mexico. Relative reset prices account for almost all of the real exchange rate movements in the data. This is at odds with the predictions of Sticky Price Open Economy models with complete markets, which generate volatile and persistent real exchange rates but not through movements in relative reset prices. We show that incomplete markets models featuring UIP deviations are much closer to replicating the empirical decomposition at low frequencies. |
| Date: | 2018 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:red:sed018:346&r=mon |
| By: | Donato Masciandaro; Davide Romelli |
| Abstract: | The aim of this paper is to use a behavioural political economy approach to revise the standard approach of optimal currency areas, and applying it to the Eurozone case. We discuss the pros and cons of the Euro membership if behavioural biases - prospect theory - influence the citizens and consequently the political actors. The theoretical framework is used to analyse in general under which conditions the Euro irreversibility assumption is likely to hold and specifically the support in favour of the Euro membership in a country case. |
| Date: | 2018 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:baf:cbafwp:cbafwp1883&r=mon |
| By: | Jose A. Lopez; Andrew K. Rose; Mark M. Spiegel |
| Abstract: | We examine the effect of negative nominal interest rates on bank profitability and behavior using a cross-country panel of over 5,100 banks in 27 countries. Our data set includes annual observations for Japanese and European banks between 2010 and 2016, which covers all advanced economies that have experienced negative nominal rates, including currency union members as well as both fixed and floating exchange rates countries. When we compare negative nominal interest rates with low positive rates, banks experience losses in interest income that are almost exactly offset by savings on deposit expenses and gains in non-interest income, including capital gains on securities and fees. We find heterogeneous effects of negative rates: banks from regimes with floating exchange rates, small banks, and banks with low deposit ratios drive most of our results. Low-deposit banks have enjoyed particularly striking gains in non-interest income, likely from capital gains on securities. There have only been modest differences between high and low deposit-ratio banks’ changes in interest expenses; high deposit banks do not seem disproportionately vulnerable to negative rates. Banks also responded to negative rates by increasing lending activity, and raising the share of deposit funding. Overall, our results indicate surprisingly benign implications of negative rates for commercial banks thus far. |
| JEL: | E43 G21 |
| Date: | 2018–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:nbr:nberwo:25004&r=mon |
| By: | Del Negro, Marco (Federal Reserve Bank of New York); Giannone, Domenico (Federal Reserve Bank of New York); Giannoni, Marc (Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas); Tambalotti, Andrea (Federal Reserve Bank of New York) |
| Abstract: | The trend in the world real interest rate for safe and liquid assets fluctuated close to 2 percent for more than a century, but has dropped significantly over the past three decades. This decline has been common among advanced economies, as trends in real interest rates across countries have converged over this period. It was driven by an increase in the convenience yield for safety and liquidity and by lower global economic growth. |
| Keywords: | world interest rate; convenience yield; interest rate parity; VAR with common trends |
| JEL: | E43 E44 F31 G12 |
| Date: | 2018–09–01 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:fip:fednsr:866&r=mon |