Exchange Rate Pass-through,Unemployment and Optimal Implementable Monetary Policy Rule for Emerging Economies

Abstract

This paper develops a small open economy model with nominal rigidities and search-matching frictions to study the implications of exchange rate pass-through for monetary policy in emerging countries. I find that, with complete exchange rate pass-through, the optimal policy rule features unemployment targeting as well as inflation targeting. However, the welfare gain from responding to unemployment fluctuations diminishes as the rate of exchange rate pass-through to import prices decreases. With low exchange rate pass-through, the optimal monetary policy is strict inflation targeting.     

Monetary Policy and Sectoral Bank Lending in Malaysia

Abstract

Unlike most studies on the effect of monetary policy on bank lending, this article intends to answer the question whether the tightening of monetary policy in Malaysia before and after the financial crisis in 1997 affected differently the commercial bank lending to various sectors of the economy. To achieve the objective, Vector Autoregressive Regression (VAR) method was used to generate impulse response function and variance decomposition to trace the impact of a shock in monetary policy on bank lending in Malaysia. The results show that a monetary policy tightening in Malaysia gives a negative impact on all the sectors. Analyzing sectoral responses to monetary shocks, evidence is found that some sectors are more affected than the others. The manufacturing, agricultural, and mining sector seems to decline more than the aggregate bank lending in response to interest rate shock.     

Effectiveness of history-dependent monetary policy

In this paper, we evaluate the effectiveness of history-dependent monetary policy, focusing on the design of targeting regimes and simple policy rules. Our quantitative analysis is based on a small estimated forward-looking model of the Japanese economy with a hybrid Phillips curve. Our main findings are: (1) History-dependent targeting regimes, such as price level targeting and income growth targeting, outperform inflation targeting; (2) Committing to a simple history-dependent policy rule results in nearly the same social welfare as the optimal delegation of price level targeting and income growth targeting; (3) The central bank can achieve almost the same performance as the optimal commitment policy by adopting the first difference hybrid policy rule in which the change in interest rate responds to inflation, output gap, and real income growth rate. J. Japanese Int. Economies 18 (3) (2004) 330–361.     

Het monetaire beleid in Nederland

Summary Monetary policy in the Netherlands, as conducted since the early fifties, is based on generally accepted principles originating in a Dutch monetary analytical theory. Its basic aim is to prevent, in periods of balanced economic growth, disturbing influences arising from the monetary sphere and to make, in periods of disequilibrium, monetary conditions contribute towards the restoration of equilibrium. To achieve this the monetary authorities act upon the size of the liquidity ratio, i.e. the relation between the liquid means of financing available in the economy and the national income. Although highly quantitative, and also normative in character, Dutch monetary policy is applied in a flexible way, so as to avoid financial crises. The Netherlands' extremely open economy entails that monetary policy finds a natural limit in international conditions. Also, it cannot be effective without the support of other policy instruments, notably fiscal policy. On the other hand, the domestic financial structure, with its fairly sharp distinction between institutions which are (i.e., the banks) and which are not relevant to the control of monetary developments, contributes to the effectiveness of the policy. The same applies to the positive and constructive manner in which the banks cooperate with the monetary authorities, who conduct their policies on the basis of consultation. Een Engelse versie van dit artikel verschijnt inMonetary Policy in the Atlantic Community, onder red. van K. Holbik, bij het Hamburg Institute for International Economics. Het artikel werd in november 1969 afgesloten.     

The Asymmetric Loss Function and the Central Banks’ Ability in Developing Countries

Abstract

This paper seeks to develop a theoretical strand of research in monetary economics by modelling central bank ability in the loss function. Recently, many working papers issued by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) prove that some central banks, particularly from developing countries, are suffering from serious operational problems that might affect their abilities to control the economy. Simultaneously, a literature review shows that the movements are toward using asymmetric loss function. Therefore, we utilize this function in the standard monetary approach. The results proved that both central bank ability and preference in developing countries are fundamental to explain inflation bias and the movement of monetary policy instrument.     

Influence of the Banks' Money Mediation Behavior on the Monetary Policy: A Study of Korean Case

Abstract

This paper analyses how financial institutions' arbitrary intermediation behaviors, including adjustments in bank lending and deposit rates, influence monetary policy transmission channels. For the analysis, we develop a New Keynesian Dynamic Stochastic General Equilibrium (NK DSGE) model with parameters estimated to fit the Korean conditions. The role of banks is subsequently examined by classifying monetary policy transmission channels (real rate channel, nominal debt channel, financial accelerating channel, and banking attenuator channel). A notable part of this analysis is the inclusion of the banking sector in the model specifically with the intent to study transmissions from the financial sector to the real economy. This paper follows this line of inquiry with recent research in mind. Empirical analysis verifies the existence of the banking attenuator effect in Korea, which means banks act to reduce the effect of monetary policies. This indicates that if financial intermediaries strengthen arbitrary adjustment behaviors of lending and deposit rates, the effect of the monetary policy intended to relieve volatility in the business cycle may not be as high as expected.     

House Prices and the Stance of Monetary Policy: The Case of Korea

Abstract

This paper is an empirical investigation on whether the Bank of Korea should respond to the housing price developments in conducting monetary policy. For that aim, we construct a small scale empirical model of the Korean economy, simulate the estimated model with a set of alternative monetary policy rules, and compare the stabilization performances of those rules. There turns out to be ample room for further stabilization of inflation and output, if the central bank shifts from the historically conducted monetary policy rule to the optimal rule. The stabilization gains under the optimal rule, however, are not attributable to additional policy indicators (such as housing price inflation) the optimal rule involves. Rather, the optimal rule improves upon the historical one because the former takes a quite different reaction scheme toward the historical policy indicators. Moreover, as long as the Bank of Korea maintains appropriate reactions to the historical policy indicators, housing price inflation does not contain much extra information for further stabilization     

Monetary and central banking problems of mini states

This paper surveys the economic raisons d'être for a central bak in a mini state. The economic characteristics of a mini state are shown to be such that monetary policy is more circumscribed than in the conventional open economy model. In view of the inherent ineffectiveness of monetary policy and the need to hold substantial foreign exchange reserves, the paper considers whether the mini state should: (a) enact a currency cover requirement; (b) adopt the currency of a major country as legal tender; or (c) join a monetary union, as well as whether central banking functions should be incorporated within the finance ministry.     

论中美货币政策差异及其分配效应

本文通过对货币政策的分析,认为货币政策的增长效应是有限的,分配效应是具有破坏性的,其造成的社会财富的剥夺和转移恶化了收入分配。因此,货币主义的单一规则对总量管理仍然具有很强的指导意义。本文认为,货币供给的总量管理应该永远是稳健的,结构调整应更多地依靠利率和财政政策。美元的弱势和中国的强劲增长为人民币国际化打开了空间。中国应该抓住历史机遇,积极推进人民币自由化、国际化进程。     

货币供给扰动与我国真实的经济增长

西方经济学理论关于货币变动是否对真实经济产生影响一直存在争论,一些经济学流派认为货币与真实经济无关,而另一些经济学流派认为货币与真实经济高度相关。本文通过对这两种观点进行简单综述的基础上,着重分析由于信息不对称,有限理性,产权不清晰,收入分配差距过大等原因,使得货币变动对我国当前的真实经济增长有着举足轻重的作用,并就我国货币政策目标选择与推进对策提出一些建议。     

Determinants of Malaysian Trade Balance: An ARDL Bound Testing Approach

Abstract

This paper examines the short- and long-run relationships between trade balance, real exchange rates, income and money supply in the case of Malaysia. The inclusion of income and money variables in the study is purposely to examine the monetary and absorption approaches to the balance of payments beside the conventional approach of elasticity, using exchange rates. Using the bound testing approach to cointegration and error correction models, developed within an autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) framework, we investigate whether a long-run equilibrium relationship exists between trade balance and the determinants. Additionally, we adopt an innovation accounting by simulating variance decompositions (VDC) and impulse response functions (IRF) for further inferences. Using this approach, we find evidence of a long-run relationship between trade balance and income and money supply variables but not between trade balance and real exchange rate. The findings also suggest that Marshall–Lerner condition does not hold in the long-run for Malaysia and for policy wise the Malaysian trade balance/balance of payments should be viewed from absorption and monetary approaches.     

Monetary Model of Exchange Rate for Thailand: Long-run Relationship and Monetary Restrictions

Abstract

This paper examines the long-run relationship between exchange rate and its determinants based on the flexible-price monetary model. The multivariate cointegration approach is adopted to attain our objective of this study. The empirical results provide evidence favoring the monetary approach to exchange rate for a small and open emerging economy, namely Thailand. In addition, the validity of the underlying assumptions of the monetary approach to the determination of exchange rate is established. The findings suggest that exchange rate players may effectively monitor and forecast the exchange rate movement via the money supplies, incomes, and interest rates variables of both Thailand and Japan. Besides, one has to follow the economic development of Thailand's major trading partner, Japan, to understanding the movement of exchange rate for Thailand. Moreover, our findings add new insights to accompany previous studies that documented the important influence of the US in the emerging Asian economies.     

Soft budget constraints, bank capital, and the monetary transmission mechanism

This paper investigates the effect of monetary policy in a situation where soft budget constraint problems prevail in the economy and the bank faces a capital requirement. Under these circumstances, an expansionary monetary policy may increase quantity of bank lending without improving the quality and thus may not stimulate economic activity. On the other hand, in order to solve the problem of soft budget constraint problems and to improve the quality of bank lending, the quantity of bank lending should be decreased. Central authorities need to keep this tradeoff in mind when exercising monetary policy and injecting public funds.     

The case for price level or inflation targeting—What happened to monetary policy effectiveness during the Japanese disinflation?

This paper examines whether price level or inflation targeting would have been appropriate policy choices for Japan during its disinflation and deflation period. We employ Markov switching and structural vector autoregressions, together with structural IS equations, to investigate monetary policy effectiveness during the Japanese disinflation. We find evidence of regime switching in the mid-1990s in a model including the nominal policy interest rate. When monetary policy shocks are identified by using the McCallum rule for monetary base, a monetary expansion is found to have a statistically significant impact on prices. Moreover, a lower real ex ante interest rate can still stimulate the economy despite the zero lower bound on nominal interest rates.     

通货膨胀与收入不平等关系的研究——基于信贷市场不完美的视角

在修正的现金预付经济中,考虑信贷市场不完美因素后,本文从理论上预言了通货膨胀与收入不平等之间的正向关系,且这种正向关系在某些条件下是U形关系.模型预言存在一个“最优”通货膨胀率,使得该通货膨胀率不会加大收入不平等.模型的理论预言与大量实证研究文献是符合的.我们的模型可以解释基于时间序列和基于截面数据的不同实证研究研究结果存在差异的原因.     

The Money-prices Nexus for Malaysia: New Empirical Evidence from the Time-varying Cointegration and Causality Tests

Abstract

The main objective of this study is to empirically re-investigate the money-prices nexus for Malaysia through the Johansen multivariate cointegration and the modified Wald (MWALD) causality techniques. This study covered the monthly dataset from 1971:M1 to 2008:M11. The Johansen cointegration test suggests that the variables under investigation are co-move in the long run. Furthermore, the MWALD causality test shows a bidirectional causal relationship between money supply (M2) and aggregate prices, meaning that both the monetarist's and also the structuralists' views are vindicated in the Malaysian economy. However, the time-varying cointegration and causality tests indicate that the cointegrating and also the causal relationships are not stable over the analysis period. These results suggest that inflation in Malaysia is not purely a monetary phenomenon. Therefore, implementing a tighter monetary policy may not be an effective macro-economic instrument in managing the inflationary behaviour in the Malaysian economy.     

Currency Substitution and the Stability of the Demand for Money in East Asia

Abstract

This paper models and tests the stability of the demand for money in five East Asian countries—Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand—in the context of an open economy. The Johansen multivariate cointegration vector error correction analysis against quarterly data covering the period 1985:1–2001:4 was used. It was found that a stationary long run cointegrating relationship exists between broad money, real income, domestic interest rates, foreign interest rates corrected for exchange rate depreciation, and the expected rate of depreciation of the exchange rate. The results show that US Treasury bills rates and the foreign exchange rate vis-à-vis the US dollar play a significant role in the East Asian countries money demand relationship. This suggests that currency substitution vis-à-vis the US dollar may be an important consideration in the design and implementation of monetary policy in the East Asian countries. Furthermore, the results show that the Asian currency crises impacted the money demand functions negatively in these countries. CUSUM and CUSUMSQ stability tests show no evidence of parameter instability of the money demand functions in three of the five countries throughout the period under investigation.     

Can We Still Lean Against the Wind?

In an overlapping generations model without financial frictions, Gali (Am Econ Rev 104(3):721–752, 2014) observed that a ‘leaning against the wind’ monetary policy is likely to aggravate the fluctuations in the bubble. He found that optimal monetary policy in such an economy must strike a balance between stabilization of the bubble and stabilization of aggregate demand. This paper extends Gali (Am Econ Rev 104(3):721–752, 2014)’s model by introducing various financial frictions in the bubbly economy with a Samuelson 2-period overlapping agents and examine how ‘leaning against the wind’ macro-prudential policies like capital adequacy affect the size and volatility of bubble, inflation and aggregate demand. While the results of the model with financial frictions vindicate Gali (Am Econ Rev 104(3):721–752, 2014) that a leaning against the wind monetary policy generates a larger volatility in the bubble than a policy of benign neglect, the paper finds that minimisation of bubble volatility requires an active macro-prudential policy. It is also observed that stronger interest rate response of monetary policy to the bubble necessitates a stronger macroprudential response possibly to absorb the excess volatility generated by the monetary policy. However, the paper also finds that tightening macroprudential policy parameter beyond a threshold value may encourage banks to take more risks and increase credit supply, aggravating the bubble in the process. With respect to macroprudential policy, there is no conflict between stabilization of current aggregate demand and stabilization of future aggregate demand and both call for a strong macroprudential response, at least until the macroprudential parameter attains the threshold value, although the conflict between the two objectives persists with respect to monetary policy as in Gali (Am Econ Rev 104(3):721–752, 2014). Empirical verification of the provisioning cost channel through structural vector autoregression confirm that a positive provisions shock can contract asset bubbles by restricting credit, output and a delayed marginal response of interest rate spreads.     

ASSESSING MONETARY POLICY IN SOUTH AFRICA IN A DATA‐RICH ENVIRONMENT

This paper examines the efficacy of monetary policy in the South African economy using a data‐rich framework. We use the Factor‐Augmented Vector Autoregressive (FAVAR) methodology, which contains 110 monthly variables for the period 1985:02‐2007:11. The results, based on impulse‐response functions, provide no evidence of the price puzzle observed in traditional Structural Vector Autoregressive analysis and confirm that monetary policy in South Africa is effective in stabilising prices. Unlike the traditional vector autoregressive approach, the FAVAR methodology allows further analysis of a large number of variables. Variables from real and financial variables react negatively to a contractionary monetary policy shock. Finally, we find evidence of the importance of a confidence channel transmission following a monetary policy shock.     

Policy Choices and Resilience to International Monetary Shocks

Abstract

The well-known trilemma theory states that the nominal exchange rate regime plays a crucial role in a country's ability to pursue monetary policy that is for its domestic objectives independent from other countries' influences. In particular, a flexible exchange rate is required for an independent monetary policy. Capital controls may help a country with a fixed exchange rate to gain some policy space but the effect of capital controls is leaky and often short-lived. We revisit these conventional wisdoms and find no strong evidence supporting them in practice. In particular, a flexible exchange rate does not reliably deliver monetary policy independence, but capital controls do. This is consistent with the view that most (developing) countries dislike either depreciation or appreciation of their currencies, and therefore would choose to follow US monetary policy moves even if they are on a flexible exchange rate regime. In other words, to build resilience to international monetary policy shocks, capital controls are a necessarily component.