scholarly journals International Monetary Frameworks

Author(s):  
Ulrich Bindseil ◽  
Alessio Fotia

AbstractIn this chapter we turn to representing flows of funds in alternative international monetary frameworks, and what global liquidity these different frameworks provide. We first recall some arguments in favour of and against fixed exchange rate systems. We then introduce two international monetary arrangements of the past which imply fixed exchange rates, namely the gold standard and the Bretton Woods system, and recall why both eventually failed. We then turn to three international monetary frameworks in the context of the current paper standard, i.e. fixed exchange rate systems, flexible exchange rate systems, and the European monetary union. We explain the role of an international lender of last resort and related solutions, and how these allow for more leeway in running fixed exchange rate systems. We also show how banks and central bank balance sheets are affected by international flows of funds and the balance of payments. Finally, we briefly review recent developments of foreign currency reserves, being the key central bank balance sheet position in this context.

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (10) ◽  
Author(s):  
Zefeng Chen ◽  
Sanaa Nadeem ◽  
Shanaka Peiris

In emerging Asia, banks constitute the dominant source of financing consumption and investment, and bank balance sheets comprise large gross FX assets and liabilities. This paper extends the DSGE model of Gertler and Karadi (2011) to incorporate these key features and estimates a panel vector autoregression on ten Asian economies to understand the role of the banking sector in transmitting spillovers from the global financial cycle to small open economies. It also evaluates the effectiveness of foreign exchange intervention (FXI) and other macroeconomic policies in responding to external financing shocks. External financial shocks affect net external liabilities of banks and the exchange rate, leading to changes in credit supply by banks and investment. For example, a capital outflow shock leads to a deprecation that reduces the net worth and intermediation capacity of banks exposed to foreign currency liabilities. In such cases, the exchange rate acts as shock amplifier and sterilized FXI, often deployed by Asian economies, can help cushion the economy. By contrast, with real shocks, the exchange rate serves as a shock absorber, and any FXI that weakens that function can be costly. We also explore the effectiveness of the monetary policy interest rate, macroprudential policies (MPMs) and capital flow management measures (CFMs).


Author(s):  
Ulrich Bindseil ◽  
Alessio Fotia

AbstractThis chapter introduces the system of accounts of the main sectors of the economy (households; non-financial corporations, the government; banks, and the central bank), describing how these sectors are interrelated through financial claims and liabilities. A financial system, consisting of commercial banks and the central bank, manages flows of funds originating from households, without these flows causing a need for the real sectors to liquidate illiquid real assets. The basic types of assets and liabilities are: real goods, gold, banknotes, deposits, bonds, loans, and equity. We explain how the shortcomings of both IOU and commodity-money based financial systems can be solved via establishing a central bank. A central bank is defined here by its balance sheet and central bank money is the central bank’s basic liability. Both monetary policy implementation and lender of last resort issues relate to liquidity flows within balance sheets. Understanding the logic of basic financial flows is therefore the basis for understanding central banking.


2019 ◽  
Vol 0 (0) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jonathan Malagon ◽  
Camila Orbegozo

Abstract There exists a consensus in the literature that during the 90s the main reason for fear of floating in emerging economies was the excessive liabilities dollarization, both in private and public sectors, which resulted in central banks’ interventions over the exchange rate. The main objective of these interventions was preventing the negative balance sheet effects originated by currency depreciations. Latin America certainly fits in this description, as convincingly documented by Calvo and Reinhart (Calvo, Guillermo A., and Carmen M. Reinhart. 2002. “Fear of Floating.” Quarterly Journal of Economics 117 (2): 379–408.). However, Latin American economies have reduced their debt in foreign currency since the early 2000s. Moreover, these economies extensively increased their amount of international reserves in the last decade and some of them – like Colombia and Mexico – have even reached the IMF’s flexible credit line, which operates as an international lender of last resort. All these changes – lower liability dollarization, higher international reserves, and new collaterals – suggest that the fear of devaluating in Latin America should be lower. Nevertheless, floating has not been the decision in terms of exchange rate policy. Conversely, most of Latin American countries that announced free floating opted for managed floating regimes and discretional interventions, in what can be considered as a new era of fear of floating. This paper finds empirical evidence that the main motivation for fear of floating has changed during the recent boom in commodity prices, 2005–2013, when foreign exchange interventions under flexible regimes were focused on avoiding excessive currency appreciations and apparently preventing Dutch disease.


Author(s):  
Ulrich Bindseil ◽  
Alessio Fotia

AbstractThis chapter introduces conventional monetary policy, i.e. monetary policy during periods of economic and financial stability and when short-term interest rates are not constrained by the zero lower bound. We introduce the concept of an operational target of monetary policy and explain why central banks normally give this role to the short-term interbank rate. We briefly touch macroeconomics by outlining how central banks should set interest rates across time to achieve their ultimate target, e.g. price stability, and we acknowledge the complications in doing so. We then zoom further into monetary policy operations and central bank balance sheets by developing the concepts of autonomous factor, monetary policy instruments, and liquidity-absorbing and liquidity providing balance sheet items. Subsequently we explain how these quantities relate to short-term interest rates, and how the central bank can rely on this relation to steer its operational target, and thereby the starting point of monetary policy transmission. Finally, we explain the importance of the collateral framework and related risk control measures (e.g. haircuts) for the liquidity of banks and for the conduct of central bank credit operations.


2019 ◽  
pp. 124-148
Author(s):  
Kazimierz Łaski

The capitalist economy is a money economy. But how is money created and destroyed? Is it exogenous, a limited resource like gold, or is it endogenous, emerging from processes of production and distribution? How is credit generated and what is the relationship between credit and savings? One form of endogeneity arises from bank balance sheets and the theory of the monetary circuit. This reveals the credit relations between households and firms. However, banks also need a central bank as a lender of last resort. In recent years, central banks have deployed quantitative easing to deal with economic recession. The other form of endogeneity arises from the “verticalist” and the “horizontalist” analyses of the market for base money, whose demand and supply is brought into equilibrium by the money rate of interest. Government bonds are used in portfolios as risk-free financial assets.


2020 ◽  
Vol 27 (2) ◽  
pp. 125-155
Author(s):  
Ken Miyajima

PurposeDeterminants of credit growth in Saudi Arabia are investigated.Design/methodology/approachA panel approach is applied to macroeconomic and bank-level data spanning 2000 ‐15.FindingsBank lending is supported by strong bank balance sheet conditions (high capital ratio, and growth of NPL provisioning and deposits), and higher growth of both oil prices and non-oil private sector GDP. Lower bank concentration also helps, likely through greater competition, so does stronger institution. Consistent with the literature, lending by Islamic banks may be more responsive to economic activity. Lending remained robust in 2015 despite oil prices having declined, helped by strong bank balance sheets and as banks reduced their holdings of “excess liquidity”. To support bank lending in the period ahead, bank balance sheets need to remain strong. Fiscal adjustment and a reduced reliance on banks to finance the budget deficit would support credit provision to the private sector.Originality/valueThe paper is first to analyze in detail determinants of bank lending in Saudi Arabia applying a panel approach to bank level data, and draws critical policy implications.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document