High US government debt does not itself raise risks

2021 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Economic Growth ◽  
Financial Markets ◽  
Interest Rates ◽  
Federal Reserve ◽  
Government Debt ◽  
Business Investment ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Us Government ◽  
Deficit Spending ◽  
The Government

Significance Some economists are suggesting that, over the longer term, this could cause financial markets to stop buying US debt and charge prohibitively high rates, and cause the dollar to crash. Other economists argue that more deficit spending could fuel output and so keep relative debt levels in check. Impacts The government retirement trust funds will continue to be major buyers of government debt. In the recovery and beyond, financing the debt could raise private borrowing costs, reduce business investment and slow economic growth. High and rising debt might constrain policymakers in their ability to respond to unforeseen events. A higher debt path that boosts interest rates would give the Federal Reserve more flexibility in implementing monetary policy.

Australian central bank holds rate as growth slips

2021 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Economic Growth ◽  
Central Bank ◽  
Interest Rates ◽  
Labour Markets ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Commercial Lenders ◽  
The Government ◽  
Roll Out ◽  
Growth Forecasts

Significance The RBA has cut its growth forecasts amid rising job losses, weakening demand and increasing signs that the latest COVID-19 lockdowns will continue to slow the economy until the pace of the vaccine roll-out programme can be increased. Impacts Although the RBA is independent, the government will hope it keeps rates low ahead of the elections due next year. Commercial lenders could raise interest rates independently of the RBA if inflation remains high. Wage pressures will re-emerge as labour markets tighten but may be mitigated by the extent of underemployment. Economic growth will be uneven across the country in coming months as pandemic-related restrictions vary by location.

Monetary easing may quicken in Brazil this year

2017 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Monetary Policy ◽  
Interest Rate ◽  
Interest Rates ◽  
Economic Recession ◽  
Government Debt ◽  
Domestic Demand ◽  
Private Debt ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
The Government

Significance At its first meeting of 2017, on January 10-11, the COPOM reduced the benchmark Selic interest rate to 13%. The 75-basis-point (bp) rate cut decision, the largest in nearly five years, accelerated the monetary easing cycle that started in October 2016. Economic recession has been relieving inflationary pressures and opening room for more intense cuts in interest rates. Impacts Further reductions of interest rates may contribute to controlling government debt. Private debt renegotiations at lower interest rates may facilitate a recovery in domestic demand and output. Any positive effects of monetary policy on activity may help contain popular dissatisfaction with the government.

Re-election will still be tough for Canada’s Liberals

2019 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Interest Rates ◽  
Housing Market ◽  
Government Debt ◽  
Bank Of Canada ◽  
Federal Election ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Opinion Polling ◽  
Economic Difficulty ◽  
Government Deficit ◽  
Deficit Spending

Significance Canada’s next federal election must be held by October. Opinion polling is putting the Conservatives ahead. Impacts The Bank of Canada will likely keep interest rates steady for now. Wilson-Raybould and Philpott could move to other parties for the next election. Further economic difficulty and government deficit spending will increase government debt. The housing market will slow further but does not appear to be crashing. Tentative moves towards national pharmacare coverage will be talked up electorally but ultimately are unlikely to materialise.

ECB QE and growth may obscure Polish political risk

2015 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Financial Markets ◽  
Interest Rates ◽  
Federal Reserve ◽  
Economic Recovery ◽  
Coalition Government ◽  
Parliamentary Election ◽  
Quantitative Easing ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Inconclusive Result ◽  
The Us

Significance Having fallen against the resurgent dollar this year, the zloty has lately been strengthening, since the US Federal Reserve surprised financial markets by striking a more dovish stance than expected on both the timing and pace of the anticipated tightening in monetary policy. While the zloty and Polish stocks had suffered because of fears of a rise in US interest rates, local bonds have been underpinned by the ECB's quantitative easing (QE) programme. The effects of QE and a brisker economic recovery may temporarily offset the risk of an inconclusive result in the parliamentary election in October. Impacts Investors have yet to price in the risk of a hung parliament in Poland following October's election. The vote could lead to the formation of a weak and unstable coalition government. The risk of an unstable coalition is particularly high, given the strong likelihood that PO's share of the vote will decline sharply.

scholarly journals Macroeconomic impacts of fiscal shocks on the Moroccan economy: a disaggregated SVAR analysis

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Youssef Alami ◽  
Issam El Idrissi ◽  
Ahmed Bousselhami ◽  
Radouane Raouf ◽  
Hassane Boujettou
Keyword(s):  
Economic Growth ◽  
Interest Rates ◽  
Public Spending ◽  
Structural Shocks ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Fiscal Multipliers ◽  
The Government ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Fiscal Shocks

PurposeThe present paper aims to evaluate the structural impact of exogenously induced fiscal shocks on the Moroccan economy. This entails an analysis of the effect on the GDP of COVID-19-induced fiscal shocks manifesting in terms of budgetary revenues and expenditures. A key aspect of this analysis addresses the size of the tax and fiscal multipliers.Design/methodology/approachThe study examines the structural relationship between five variables during the period between Q1 2009 and Q2 2020 using an SVAR approach that allows for a dynamic interaction between ordinary expenditures and revenues on a quarterly basis.FindingsPositive structural shocks on public spending are likely to negatively impact economic growth. Negative economic growth, in turn, will damage price levels and interest rates, mainly over the long term. However, public-revenue-multiplier-associated shocks exceed these price- and interest-rate multiplier-associated shocks. Indeed, a structural shock to ordinary revenues can have a positive but insignificant impact on the GDP stemming from the ensuing decrease in the government budget deficit that proceeds from the increase in government revenues.Originality/valueThis is one of the first studies in the Moroccan context to assess the impact of the current worldwide pandemic on public finances. In addition, this study highlights the importance of boosting economic recovery through public spending.

scholarly journals Local government debt and regional economic growth in China

2019 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 330-353
Author(s):  
Shiyi Chen ◽  
Wang Li
Keyword(s):  
Economic Growth ◽  
Growth Rate ◽  
Theoretical Model ◽  
Local Government ◽  
Regional Differences ◽  
Government Debt ◽  
Eastern Region ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Government ◽  
The Impact

Purpose With China’s economic growth slowing down and the growth rate of fiscal revenue decreasing, the pressure on local government debts is further increasing. Under this background, it is of great significance to clarify the relation between local government debts and China’s economic growth in order to give full play to the positive role of local debts in stabling growth. The paper aims to discuss this issue. Design/methodology/approach Therefore, this paper explores the impact of Chinese local government debt on economic growth from theoretical and empirical aspects, respectively, and compares the regional differences between different debts and economic growth dynamics. Findings In the theoretical model part, this paper constructs a three-sector dynamic game model, under the two circumstances of whether local government is subject to debt constraints, and examines the relation between local government debt and economic growth and other variables through numerical simulation. Research shows that when the government is not constrained by debt, there is an inverted “U” relation between government debt and economic growth. When the government is constrained by debt, the economic growth rate gradually decreases as the government debt increases. Originality/value In the theoretical analysis part, this paper tries to estimate the amount of local debts under different calibers and examines the impact of different types of local government debts on China’s economic growth and their regional differences. The results show that excessive accumulation of government hidden debts in the eastern region is not conducive to economic growth, while explicit debts in the central and western regions significantly contribute to local economic growth. The results of empirical analysis are basically consistent with the predictions of the theoretical model.

Hungary is unprepared for normalised monetary policy

2018 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Economic Growth ◽  
Monetary Policy ◽  
Interest Rate ◽  
Financial Markets ◽  
Central Europe ◽  
Federal Reserve ◽  
Sharp Increase ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Financial Conditions ◽  
Equity Funds

Significance The MNB is bucking the trend of tighter monetary policy across Central Europe by increasing its range of unconventional tools to keep financial conditions loose. This is despite robust economic growth and a sharp increase in wages which threaten to put upward pressure on inflation. Impacts Despite the recent turmoil in financial markets, ‘hunt for yield’ is keeping flows to EM bond and equity funds firmly in positive territory. Brent crude has risen by 12% since early February, driven by mounting geopolitical tensions and signs of producers sticking to supply cuts. The new US Federal Reserve chairman has projected faster-than-anticipated interest rate increases in 2019 and 2020. This will increase the scope for further volatility in markets.

Sisi seeks Egyptian economic takeoff in his next term

2018 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Economic Growth ◽  
Interest Rates ◽  
Foreign Exchange ◽  
Foreign Investment ◽  
Capital Inflows ◽  
Foreign Exchange Reserves ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Preliminary Results ◽  
The Government ◽  
External Borrowing

Significance Preliminary results suggest that President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi has won re-election with 91% of the vote. Western media and diplomats estimate turnout hovered around 20%, though Egyptian site Youm7 reported yesterday that 23 million of 59 million eligible voters cast their ballot, bringing turnout to 39%. After the formality of his re-election for a second term is completed, Sisi is looking to his cabinet to set the conditions for a surge in economic growth over the next four years. Impacts Further cuts to subsidies are in the pipeline; inflation and interest rates remain high, although they have passed their peaks. Foreign exchange reserves are at record levels, but increased borrowing made a major contribution, and heavy debt repayments are now due. The government seeks more foreign investment in projects and equities to replace external borrowing as the main source of capital inflows.

The problems facing agricultural sector in Zanzibar and the prospects of Waqf-Muzar’ah-supply chain model

Humanomics ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 33 (2) ◽  
pp. 189-210 ◽  
Author(s):  
Issa Salim Moh’d ◽  
Mustafa Omar Mohammed ◽  
Buerhan Saiti
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chain ◽  
Interest Rates ◽  
Financial Models ◽  
Agricultural Sector ◽  
Chain Model ◽  
Content Type ◽  
High Interest ◽  
Supply Chain Model ◽  
The Government ◽  
Clove Industry

Purpose This paper aims to identify the appropriate model to address the financial challenges in agricultural sector in Zanzibar. Since the middle of 1960, clove production has continually and significantly decreased because of some problems and challenges that include financial ones. The financial intermediaries such as banks, cooperatives and micro-enterprises provide micro-financing to the farmers with high interest rates along with collateral requirements. The numerous programmes, measures and policies adopted by the relevant parties to find out the solutions to the dwindling clove production have failed. Design/methodology/approach The authors will review and examine several existing financial models, identify the issues and challenges of the current financial models and propose an appropriate Islamic financing model. Findings The numerous programmes, measures and policies adopted by the relevant parties to find out the solutions to the dwindling clove production have failed. This study, therefore, proposed a Waqf-Muzara’ah-supply chain model to address the financial challenge. Partnership arrangement is also suggested in the model to mitigate the issues of high interest rates and collateral that constrains the financial ability of the farmers and their agricultural output. Originality/value The contribution of the agricultural sector to the economic development of Zanzibar Islands is considerable. As one of the important agricultural sectors, the clove industry was the economic backbone of the government of Zanzibar. This study is believed to be a pioneering work; hence, it is the first study that investigates empirically the challenges facing the clove industry in Zanzibar.

“Sound Finances”: Strategy or Soundbite

2017 ◽  
Vol 241 ◽  
pp. R13-R32
Author(s):  
Michael McMahon
Keyword(s):  
Interest Rates ◽  
Government Debt ◽  
Economic Situation ◽  
Public Finances ◽  
General Elections ◽  
Political Choices ◽  
Balanced Budget ◽  
The Government

A defining feature of (at least) the last three general elections has been the emphasis placed on each political party's fiscal credibility and their ability to deliver “sound public finances”. Applying the logic of household book-keeping, balancing the fiscal budget is said to capture such soundness. There is, however, little evidence that a balanced budget is necessarily sound. Instead, the evolution of public finances depends on (1) both the fiscal choices made on the level of spending and taxation, (2) the underlying growth of the economy which depends on far more than the fiscal decisions, and (3) interest rates on government debt and the financing needs of the government. As the economic situation changes, so too does the likely path of debt to GDP and hence the possible fiscal options open to a country. Sticking to the soundbite of “sound finances” has often distracted from the underlying menu of political choices and as such is a disruptive narrative in UK economics today.

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