The Central Bank Shift to Market Maker of Last Resort: The Unintended Consequences of Unconventional Monetary Policies

We analyze the transition of central banks from lenders to market makers of last resort. The adoption of unconventional monetary policies characterizes this transition. In their new role as market makers, central banks engage in the latter by extending and reinforcing interventions in other markets than the traditional bank reserves market. We then explain that the difference between the two roles is one of degree rather than kind. In both cases, the prevention of liquidity shortages is a primary concern. As conventional policies become inadequate, central banks resort to unconventional policies to escape a general liquidity shortage at the zero lower bound. However, these unconventional policies do not solve the structural problems in financial and real markets. Both conventional and unconventional monetary policies cause price distortions, in particular on asset markets. The policies of the market maker of last resort prevent necessary readjustments of cyclical divergences between real and financial markets.

Interest on reserves, helicopter money and new monetary policy

We build a nonlinear dynamic model with currency, demand deposits and bank reserves. Monetary base is controlled by central bank, while money supply is determined by the interactions between central bank, commercial banks and public. In economic crises when banks cut loans, monetary policy following a Taylor rule is not efficient. Negative interest on reserves or forward guidance is effective, but deflation is still likely to be persistent. If central bank simultaneously targets both interest rate and money supply by a Taylor rule and a Friedman’s k-percent rule, inflation and output are stabilized. An interest rate rule policy is just a subset of a more general monetary policy framework in which central bank can move interest rate and money supply in every direction.

The Rise of Digital Money

Payments systems around the world are evolving with the emergence of digital money issued by private firms and central banks. We provide a conceptual framework to compare and contrast traditional forms of money with their new digital equivalents. We suggest that some forms of digital money, while less stable as a store of value, could be rapidly adopted given their advantages as a means of payment. We review the benefits and risks that would emerge. One approach to managing risks would be to require full backing of selected digital money with central bank reserves. We call the arrangement synthetic central bank digital currency (sCBDC), a private-public partnership that combines the advantages of private sector innovation and customer orientation with the safety and stability of central bank–backed money. We offer policy considerations, directions for research, and an overview of the literature to date. The analysis of digital currencies is an exciting new field crossing into monetary and financial economics that will reshape the monetary and financial systems for many years to come. Expected final online publication date for the Annual Review of Financial Economics, Volume 13 is March 2021. Please see http://www.annualreviews.org/page/journal/pubdates for revised estimates.

Global Stablecoins: Monetary Policy Implementation Considerations from the U.S. Perspective

This note explores the potential effects of the widespread adoption of a global stablecoin (GSC) on key aggregate financial sector balance sheets in the United States. To do this, we map out cash flows of GSC transactions among financial sector entities using a stylized set of 't-accounts'. By analyzing these individual transactions, we infer aggregate and compositional effects on U.S. commercial banking sector and Federal Reserve balance sheets. Through this lens, we also consider how these balance sheet changes could affect monetary policy implementation, the demand for central bank reserves, and the market for U.S. dollar safe assets.

The Saudi crown prince will relaunch his grand plans

Significance Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has started 2021 with a series of bold initiatives to give fresh impetus to visionary investment plans, after a pause because of reputational reverses and then COVID-19. The PIF is the main instrument for these, with support from the Saudi private sector, foreign investment and international borrowing. Impacts The PIF will reduce its prioritisation of foreign trophy assets. Pressure on central bank reserves could endanger the currency peg in the longer term. Saudi Arabia will emphasise climate-friendly approaches to placate a new US administration.

Impact of Financial Intermediaries on Nigerian Economic Growth

This paper empirically investigated the impact of financial intermediation of economic growth in Nigeria. Quarterly time series data generated from the World Bank Development indicator and the Nigerian Bureau of Statistic for the periods 1994Q1 to 2018q4 were used for the analysis, and Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) regression technique was adopted for the estimation of the hypotheses. Per-capita GDP was used as a measure of economic growth, while bank deposit, bank credit and bank reserves are measures of financial intermediation. Further investigation also show that bank deposit is positively and significantly related to GDPpc, suggesting that increase in bank deposit brings about 0.244193 increases in economic growth. We further observed that bank credit impacted positively on economic growth. Though, the impact was found to be insignificant. Hence, we also found bank reserve to assert significant and positive impacted on economic growth. From the findings, we suggest for good policy reforms that may promote the efficiency and the development of bank which serve as a critical factor for economic growth in Nigeria.

Central Bank Reserves during the Bretton Woods Period: New data from France, the UK and Switzerland

This paper presents new daily data on central bank reserves during the Bretton Woods period. It is the first paper to provide daily data for the Bank of France, Bank of England and Swiss National Bank directly from these central bank’s archives. I discuss some of the issue with these data and make them available to other researchers for further analysis.