ECB monetary review could boost policy flexibility

Subject ECB monetary review. Significance The new ECB president wants to extend the bank’s remit to include addressing climate change, but disagreements are mounting over the traditional mission, monetary policy. Christine Lagarde headed her first monetary policy meeting on December 12 and, as expected, stuck to Mario Draghi’s policy path. However, the divisions between Governing Council members who support the ultra-loose stance and those who oppose quantitative easing (QE) and lower interest rates will deepen. Impacts New Executive Board members include Isabel Schnabel and a replacement for Benoit Coeure; they will influence the way the board leans. Lagarde has little banking expertise but will use her political skills to encourage governments to expand fiscal policy. Lagarde wants the ECB to tackle climate change but this is technically challenging and will be opposed in the Governing Council. The ECB's chief economist and the directors general for economics and monetary policy will have more sway under Lagarde.

Significance While the Governing Council is divided over the issue, President Christine Lagarde appears to favour more active fiscal policy by member states to stabilise the European economy. Impacts Mixed communication from the ECB Governing Council could undermine market confidence in Lagarde’s presidency. Using monetary policy to tackle climate change will be a key goal for the ECB under Lagarde’s presidency. A disjointed economic recovery across the euro-area will likely increase division within the ECB over its response options. Countries whose economies have been disproportionately affected by COVID-19 will resist calls for fiscal consolidation from 2022 onwards.


Subject Monetary policy in Japan. Significance The monetary policy board of the Bank of Japan (BoJ) at its last meeting abandoned its prediction of when the nation will reach its 2% inflation target, the first time it has omitted a target date since Governor Haruhiko Kuroda introduced his policy of radical monetary easing five years ago. Impacts Japan’s interest rates will remain at historically low levels for at least two more years. The yen will remain relatively weak as other countries’ central banks end their quantitative easing programmes. A weak currency plus widespread global economic growth will create strong demand for Japanese exports.


2016 ◽  
Vol 43 (6) ◽  
pp. 1006-1021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luiz Lima ◽  
Claudio Foffano Vasconcelos ◽  
Jose Simão ◽  
Helder Ferreira de Mendonça

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to analyze if the unconventional monetary policy, known as quantitative easing (QE) practiced by central banks in the USA, the UK, and Japan was effective to increase the market share after subprime crisis. Design/methodology/approach In order to analyze the effect of the QE on the stock markets of the USA, the UK, and Japan, the authors use an ARDL model to find the long-run relationship among the variables. Findings The findings denote that the QE implemented by the central banks in the USA, Japan, and the UK had a positive impact on their stock markets. Originality/value The results of the paper give some new insights about the conduction of monetary policy when the interest rates are close to zero.


Subject US tightening continued this month despite lower inflation expectations. Significance Monetary policy rifts have deepened since the decision by the Federal Reserve (Fed) on June 14 to raise interest rates for the second time this year despite inflation easing and oil prices falling below 45 dollars per barrel. Growing discord between central banks and bond markets has spread to the Bank of England (BoE), where three of the eight committee members disagreed with the June 15 decision to keep rates on hold despite inflation spiking to its highest since June 2013. The ECB and the Bank of Japan (BoJ) are also under pressure to set out plans to wind down their quantitative easing (QE) programmes. Impacts ‘Reflation trading’ continues to unwind; the world stock of negative-yielding government bonds has surged to nearly 10 trillion dollars. US equity markets are hovering near records despite a plethora of vulnerabilities, including lower oil prices and rising political risks. Emerging markets (EM) inflows continue to surge, but higher US rates may force EMs to raise rates before they are ready, hitting activity. The divergence between rising US rates and ultra-loose ECB and BoJ policy will cushion the dollar, protecting it from rising US risks.


Author(s):  
Yilmaz Akyüz

The preceding chapters have examined the deepened integration of emerging and developing economies (EDEs) into the international financial system in the new millennium and their changing vulnerabilities to external financial shocks. They have discussed the role that policies in advanced economies played in this process, including those that culminated in the global financial crisis and the unconventional monetary policy of zero-bound interest rates and quantitative easing adopted in response to the crisis, as well as policies in EDEs themselves....


2017 ◽  
Vol 44 (2) ◽  
pp. 282-293 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mehmet Balcilar ◽  
Rangan Gupta ◽  
Charl Jooste

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to study the evolution of monetary policy uncertainty and its impact on the South African economy. Design/methodology/approach The authors use a sign restricted SVAR with an endogenous feedback of stochastic volatility to evaluate the sign and size of uncertainty shocks. The authors use a nonlinear DSGE model to gain deeper insights about the transmission mechanism of monetary policy uncertainty. Findings The authors show that monetary policy volatility is high and constant. Both inflation and interest rates decline in response to uncertainty. Output rebounds quickly after a contemporaneous decrease. The DSGE model shows that the size of the uncertainty shock matters – high uncertainty can lead to a severe contraction in output, inflation and interest rates. Research limitations/implications The authors model only a few variables in the SVAR – thus missing perhaps other possible channels of shock transmission. Practical implications There is a lesson for monetary policy: monetary policy uncertainty, in isolation from general macroeconomic uncertainty, often creates unintended adverse consequences and can perpetuate a weak economic environment. The tasks of central bankers are incredibly difficult. Their models project output and inflation with relatively large uncertainty based on many shocks emanating from various sources. It matters how central bankers react to these expectations and how they communicate the underlying risks associated with setting interest rates. Originality/value This is the first study that looks into monetary policy uncertainty into South Africa using a stochastic volatility model and a nonlinear DSGE model. The results should be very useful for the Central Bank as it highlights how uncertainty, that they create, can have adverse economic consequences.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Suriani Suriani ◽  
M. Shabri Abd. Majid ◽  
Raja Masbar ◽  
Nazaruddin A. Wahid ◽  
Abdul Ghafar Ismail

Purpose The purpose of this study is to empirically analyze the role of sukuk in the monetary policy transmission mechanism through the asset price and exchange rate channels in the Indonesian economy. Design/methodology/approach Using the monthly data from January 2003 to November 2017, this study uses a multivariate vector error correction model causality framework. To examine the role of sukuk in the monetary policy transmission mechanism through the asset price channel, this study uses the variables of consumption, inflation, interest rates, economic growth and the composite stock price index. Meanwhile, to examine the role of sukuk in the monetary policy transmission mechanism through the exchange rate channel, this study used variables of inflation, interest rates, economic growth, foreign investment and exchange rate. Findings This study documented that sukuk has no causal relationship with inflation through asset price and exchange rate channels. Nevertheless, sukuk has a bidirectional causal relationship with economic growth through asset price and exchange rate channels. Sukuk is also documented to have a causal relationship with monetary policy variables of interest rate and stock prices through asset price and exchange rate channels. Finally, a unidirectional causality is recorded running from the exchange rate to sukuk in the exchange rate channel. Research limitations/implications The finding of independence of the sukuk market from interest rates provides evidence that the trading of the sukuk in Indonesia has been in harmony with the Islamic tenets. Practical implications The relevant Indonesian authorities need to enhance both domestic and global sukuk markets as part of efforts to promote the sustainability of Islamic capital market development in Indonesia. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is among the first attempts to empirically investigate the role of sukuk in monetary policy transmission through asset price and exchange rate channels in the context of the Indonesian economy.


2018 ◽  
Vol 45 (6) ◽  
pp. 1159-1174 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gabriel Caldas Montes ◽  
Cristiane Gea

Purpose The evidence concerning the effects of the inflation targeting (IT) regime as well as greater central bank transparency on monetary policy interest rates is not conclusive, and the following questions remain open. What is the effect of adopting IT on both the level and volatility of monetary policy interest rate? Does central bank transparency affect the level of the monetary policy interest rate and its volatility? Are these effects greater in developing countries? The purpose of this paper is to contribute to the literature by answering these questions. Hence, the paper analyzes the effects of IT and central bank transparency on monetary policy. Design/methodology/approach The analysis uses a sample of 48 countries (31 developing) comprising the period between 1998 and 2014. Based on panel data methodology, estimates are made for the full sample, and then for the sample of developing countries. Findings Countries that adopt the IT regime tend to have lower levels of monetary policy interest rates, as well as lower interest rate volatility. The effect of adopting IT on both the level and volatility of the basic interest rate is smaller in developing countries. Besides, countries with more transparent central banks have lower levels of monetary policy interest rates, as well as lower interest rate volatility. In turn, the effect of central bank transparency on both the level and volatility of the basic interest rate is greater in developing countries. Practical implications The study brings important practical implications regarding the influence of both the IT regime and central bank transparency on monetary policy. Originality/value Studies have sought to analyze whether IT and central bank transparency are effective to control inflation. However, few studies analyze the influence of IT and central bank transparency on interest rates. This study differs from the few existing studies since: the analysis is done not only for the effect of transparency on the level of the monetary policy interest rate, but also on its volatility; the central bank transparency index that is used has never been utilized in this sort of analysis; and the study uses panel data methodology, and compares the results between different samples.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Moses Nzuki Nyangu ◽  
Freshia Wangari Waweru ◽  
Nyankomo Marwa

PurposeThis paper examines the sluggish adjustment of deposit interest rate categories with response to policy rate changes in a developing economy.Design/methodology/approachSymmetric and asymmetric error correction models (ECMs) are employed to test the pass-through effect and adjustment speed of deposit rates when above or below their equilibrium levels.FindingsThe findings reveal an incomplete pass-through effect in both the short run and long run while mixed results of symmetric and asymmetric adjustment speed across the different deposit rate categories are observed. Collusive pricing arrangement behavior is supported by deposit rate categories that adjust more rigidly upwards than downwards, while negative customer reaction behavior is supported by deposit rate categories that adjust more rigidly downwards than upwards.Practical implicationsEven though the findings indicate an aspect of increased responsiveness over the period, the sluggish adjustment of deposit rates imply that monetary policy is still ineffective and not uniform across the different deposit rate categories.Originality/valueTo the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the first study to empirically examine both symmetric and asymmetric adjustment behavior of deposit interest rate categories in Kenya. The findings are key to policy makers as they provide insights on how long it takes to adjust different deposit rate categories to monetary policy decisions. In addition, the behavior of deposit rates partly explains why interest rates capping was imposed in Kenya in 2016.


Author(s):  
Sayyed Mahdi Ziaei

Purpose This paper aims to constitute to the first empirical work that investigated the effects of US unconventional monetary policy shocks on Islamic equities. Design/methodology/approach The authors used the spread between sovereign (term spread) and corporate (corporate spread) yields as proxies of unconventional monetary policy in times that FED implemented different rounds of large-scale asset purchasing programs. Findings This paper demonstrates that monetary policy shocks have significant effects on Islamic equities. The analysis showed substantial evidence that the corporate spread innovation was reflected as a positive signal in Islamic equity markets and has a larger impact on Islamic low leverage equities than term spread. Originality/value The objective of this paper is to shed some insight into the effects of US unconventional monetary policy on low leverage financial assets. It is hypothesized that during this period, specifically from November 2008, unconventional monetary policy and zero bound interest rates have been implemented in the US economy. However, the strength of effects of this range of policies on Islamic financial products is unidentified.


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