The Time-Varying Relation between Stock Returns and Monetary Variables

The nature of the relation between stock returns and the three monetary variables of interest rates (bond yields), inflation and money supply growth, while oft studied, is one that remains unclear. We argue that the nature of the relation changes over time, and this variation is largely driven by shocks, with a change in risk associated with each variable shifting the pattern of behaviour. We show a change in the correlation between each of the three variables with stock returns. Notably, a predominantly negative correlation with bond yields and inflation becomes positive, while the opposite is true for money supply growth. The shift begins with the bursting of the dotcom bubble but is exacerbated by the financial crisis. Results of predictive regressions for stock returns also indicate a switch in behaviour. Predominantly negative predictive power switches temporarily to positive around economic shocks. This suggests that higher yields, inflation and money growth typically depress returns but support the market during periods of stress. However, after the financial crisis, higher inflation and money growth exhibit persistent positive predictive power and suggest a change in the risk perception of higher values.

Long-Run Determinants of Nigerian Inflation Rate: ARDL Bounds Testing Approach

Inflation is a problem in all facets of life and all economic entities. The government of any nation is concerned with ensuring that her plans are not frustrated by unpredictable and galloping prices. This paper studies the dynamic causal relationship between inflation rate (measured by consumer price index (CPI)), exchange rate, gross domestic product (GDP), money growth, and oil export in Nigerian during 2005: Q1 to 2019: Q4. The ARDL bounds testing approach and error correction model were used to verify whether there was a long-term relationship between the inflation rate and four determinants (exchange rate, GDP, money growth, and oil export). The results of our study showed that the current inflation CPI, the exchange rate, GDP, and money growth would still affect the next quarter's inflation rate in Nigeria. However, the oil export has no significant effect on the inflation rate. Moreover, we find the long-run cointegration relationship between inflation CPI, the exchange rate, and money. The cointegration relationship will be achieved in a short time (during the next two quarters of the year).

The Impact of Money Supply on the Economy: A Panel Study on Selected Countries

This study investigates the impact of money supply on economic growth rate, inflation rate, exchange rate and real interest rate. We used a panel of 217 countries from 1960 to 2020 and four different models to address these questions. The empirical results support the quantity theory of money. In addition, the study found evidence for a negative relationship between real interest rate and inflation and between money supply and real interest rate. Finally, our results show that lagged money growth rate is positively correlated with GDP growth rate but money growth rate is negatively correlated with GDP growth rate.

The Mediating Effect of Money Growth And General Public Consumption In The Fiscal Deficit-Inflation-Growth Nexus of The West African Monetary Zone: A Multilevel Structural Model Approach

The effect of fiscal deficit on inflation and growth, has been a highly contested issue in economics. Studies on the issue generally have sought to ascertain whether deficit in the fiscal balance has positive or negative effect on inflation and/or growth, neglecting the question of mediating variables in the process. In this study, we consider the consequences of selected mediating variables, money growth and general public consumption, in the context of the relationship among fiscal deficit, inflation and growth in the case of the West African Monetary Zone. The study is based on Multilevel Structural Model (1, 1, 1) within the framework of dynamic structural equation model. We found that when the relationship between inflation and fiscal deficit is mediated by growth of money, it does not show any statistical credibility, thus, member-countries are not prone to finance deficits by expanding growth of money. On the other hand, general public consumption is a statistically credible mediator between fiscal deficit and growth, but its effect is negative on growth. This implies that increased general public consumption occasioned by increased fiscal deficit is counter-productive to growth outcomes in the sub-region.

Budget deficits, money growth and inflation: empirical evidence from Vietnam

PurposeThis paper aims to uncover the nexus between budget deficits, money growth and inflation in Vietnam in the period 1995–2012.Design/methodology/approachThe paper uses a structural vector auto-regressive model of five endogenous variables including inflation, real GDP growth, budget deficit growth, money growth and the interest rate.FindingsIt is found that inflation rose in response to positive shocks to money growth and that budget deficits had no significant impact on money growth and therefore inflation. This empirical evidence supports the hypothesis that fiscal and monetary policies were relatively independent. Money growth significantly decreased in response to a positive shock to inflation; interest rates had no significant effect on inflation but considerably increased in response to positive inflation shocks. This implies that the monetary base was more effective than interest rates in fighting inflation.Originality/valueThis paper sheds light into understanding the link between budget deficits, money growth and inflation in Vietnam during the high-inflation period 1995–2012. The finding supports the hypothesis that fiscal and monetary policies were relatively independent over the period.

International Historical Evidence on Money Growth and Inflation: The Role of High Inflation Episodes

How long is the long run in the relationship between money growth and inflation? How important are high inflation episodes for the unit slope finding in the quantity theory of money? To answer these questions, we study the relationship between excess money growth and inflation over time and across frequencies using annual data from 1870 to 2013 for 16 developed countries. Wavelet-based exploratory analysis shows the existence of a close stable relationship between excess money growth and inflation only over long time horizons, i.e. periods greater than 16–24 years, with money growth mostly leading. When we investigate the sensitivity of the unit slope finding to inflation episodes using a “time-frequency-based” panel data approach, we find that low-frequency regression coefficients estimated over variable-length subsamples are largely affected by high inflation episodes occurring in the 1910s, the 1940s, and the 1970s. Taken together, our results suggest that inflationary upsurges affect regression coefficients, but not the closeness of the long-run relationship. This reconciles the validity of the quantity theory of money with the current disinterest of monetary policymaking in money growth.

Financial Innovation and Financial Inclusion

This chapter was written before the untimely death of Bob Collymore, Chief Executive Officer of Safaricom (the Kenyan telecommunications company). In many ways, the chapter offers testimony to his great ideas and legacy in innovation of mobile money that revolutionized the financial sector. The chapter narrates the journey of M-PESA from inception to its current state, the partnerships formed along the journey and supporting regulations thereof. The chapter also features the role of mobile money as a tool for financial inclusion and deepening. It is shown that the enabling policy and regulatory environment were critical for mobile money development in Kenya. It is also suggested that regulation should be market-led and proactive measures should be undertaken to enhance not only mobile money growth but also consumer protection.

A Markov-Switching Model of Inflation in Bolivia

The Bolivian inflation process is analyzed utilizing a time-varying univariate and multivariate Markov-switching model (TMS). With monthly data and, beginning in the late 1930s, inflation is accurately described by a univariate TMS. The intercept for the high-inflation regime is significantly higher than for the low-inflation regime and the actual inflation rate mirrors the smoothing probabilities of the Markov process. Additionally, the predicted duration of each regime closely fits the periods when the country experienced low and inordinate high inflation rates. From a long-run perspective and utilizing a multivariate TMS, the results generally fall in line with what the quantity theory of money predicts. In the high-inflation regime, money growth increases inflation (almost) one-for-one, as classical economics contends. From a short-run perspective and in the high-inflation regime, inflation is almost exclusively explained by a negative output gap. In the low-inflation regime, lagged inflation is the most important determinant of inflation, in line with price stickiness expectations. Partitioning the sources of inflation demonstrate that, from a long-run perspective and in the high inflation regime, differences in inflation are mostly explained by GDP growth; in the low-inflation regime, money growth and velocity growth are the principal factors explaining the variance of inflation. From a short-run perspective, the output gap explains almost all regression variance in the high-inflation regime, and past inflation does the same during times of low inflation, though in both cases the R2 is low which precludes making definite statements about the sources of variability in inflation.