IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/intfin/v79y2022ics1042443122000786.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Examining QE’s bang for the Buck: Does Quantitative easing reduce credit and liquidity risks and stimulate real economic activity?

Author

Listed:
  • Cohen, Lior

Abstract

This paper investigates the ECB’s Corporate Sector Purchase Programme’s (CSPP) impact on European corporate bonds’ credit and liquidity risks and real economic activity. The results show that the CSPP’s announcement (“stock effect”) lowered the credit spread of eligible corporate bonds, measured by the G-spread, by ten basis points (bps) or 9.8%. The liquidity of eligible bonds also improved as their scaled bid-ask spread decreased by 2.6 bps or 4.6%. Moreover, for every 1 billion euros of ECB corporate bond monthly purchases (“flow effect”), the scaled bid-ask spread of eligible bonds declined by 0.6 bp from June 2016 to December 2018. As for economic activity, QE’s stock effect raised corporate debt – mainly for German firms – and the stock and flow effects stimulated dividend spending, especially for German and French firms. These results indicate that QE initially improved corporate bond operations and encouraged borrowing. Moreover, the CSPP continued to boost the liquidity of corporate bonds and dividend expenditure throughout its implementation, but not investment. Therefore, QE had limited success in stimulating economic activity.

Suggested Citation

  • Cohen, Lior, 2022. "Examining QE’s bang for the Buck: Does Quantitative easing reduce credit and liquidity risks and stimulate real economic activity?," Journal of International Financial Markets, Institutions and Money, Elsevier, vol. 79(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:intfin:v:79:y:2022:i:c:s1042443122000786
    DOI: 10.1016/j.intfin.2022.101596
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1042443122000786
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.intfin.2022.101596?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Sironi, Andrea, 2003. "Testing for Market Discipline in the European Banking Industry: Evidence from Subordinated Debt Issues," Journal of Money, Credit and Banking, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 35(3), pages 443-472, June.
    2. Lawrence Fisher, 1959. "Determinants of Risk Premiums on Corporate Bonds," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 67, pages 217-217.
    3. Arvind Krishnamurthy & Annette Vissing-Jorgensen, 2011. "The Effects of Quantitative Easing on Interest Rates: Channels and Implications for Policy," Brookings Papers on Economic Activity, Economic Studies Program, The Brookings Institution, vol. 42(2 (Fall)), pages 215-287.
    4. Annalisa Ferrando & Alexander Popov & Gregory F. Udell, 2019. "Do SMEs Benefit from Unconventional Monetary Policy and How? Microevidence from the Eurozone," Journal of Money, Credit and Banking, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 51(4), pages 895-928, June.
    5. Albagli, Elias & Ceballos, Luis & Claro, Sebastian & Romero, Damian, 2019. "Channels of US monetary policy spillovers to international bond markets," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 134(2), pages 447-473.
    6. D’Amico, Stefania & King, Thomas B., 2013. "Flow and stock effects of large-scale treasury purchases: Evidence on the importance of local supply," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 108(2), pages 425-448.
    7. A. Bartocci & L. Burlon & A. Notarpietro & M. Pisani, 2021. "Macroeconomic Effects of Non‐Standard Monetary Policy Measures in the Euro Area: The Role of Corporate Bond Purchases," Manchester School, University of Manchester, vol. 89(S1), pages 97-130, September.
    8. Óscar Arce & Ricardo Gimeno & Sergio Mayordomo, 2018. "The effects of the Eurosystem’s corporate sector purchase programme on Spanish companies," Economic Bulletin, Banco de España, issue MAR.
    9. De Santis, Roberto A. & Zaghini, Andrea, 2021. "Unconventional monetary policy and corporate bond issuance," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 135(C).
    10. DellʼAriccia, Giovanni & Laeven, Luc & Marquez, Robert, 2014. "Real interest rates, leverage, and bank risk-taking," Journal of Economic Theory, Elsevier, vol. 149(C), pages 65-99.
    11. Dong Beom Choi & Thomas M. Eisenbach & Tanju Yorulmazer, 2016. "Sooner or Later: Timing of Monetary Policy with Heterogeneous Risk-Taking," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 106(5), pages 490-495, May.
    12. Gabriel Jiménez & Steven Ongena & José‐Luis Peydró & Jesús Saurina, 2014. "Hazardous Times for Monetary Policy: What Do Twenty‐Three Million Bank Loans Say About the Effects of Monetary Policy on Credit Risk‐Taking?," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 82(2), pages 463-505, March.
    13. Viral V Acharya & Tim Eisert & Christian Eufinger & Christian Hirsch, 2019. "Whatever It Takes: The Real Effects of Unconventional Monetary Policy," The Review of Financial Studies, Society for Financial Studies, vol. 32(9), pages 3366-3411.
    14. Taneli Mäkinen & Fan Li & Andrea Mercatanti & Andrea Silvestrini, 2020. "Effects of eligibility for central bank purchases on corporate bond spreads," Temi di discussione (Economic working papers) 1300, Bank of Italy, Economic Research and International Relations Area.
    15. Edwin J. Elton & Martin J. Gruber & Deepak Agrawal & Christopher Mann, 2001. "Explaining the Rate Spread on Corporate Bonds," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 56(1), pages 247-277, February.
    16. Zaghini, Andrea, 2019. "The CSPP at work: Yield heterogeneity and the portfolio rebalancing channel," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 56(C), pages 282-297.
    17. Holm-Hadulla, Fédéric & Thürwächter, Claire, 2021. "Heterogeneity in corporate debt structures and the transmission of monetary policy," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 136(C).
    18. Marianne Bertrand & Esther Duflo & Sendhil Mullainathan, 2004. "How Much Should We Trust Differences-In-Differences Estimates?," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 119(1), pages 249-275.
    19. Todorov, Karamfil, 2020. "Quantify the quantitative easing: Impact on bonds and corporate debt issuance," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 135(2), pages 340-358.
    20. Óscar Arce & Sergio Mayordomo & Ricardo Gimeno, 2021. "Making Room for the Needy: The Credit-Reallocation Effects of the ECB’s Corporate QE [Whatever it takes: the real effects of unconventional monetary policy]," Review of Finance, European Finance Association, vol. 25(1), pages 43-84.
    21. Arvind Krishnamurthy & Annette Vissing-Jorgensen, 2011. "The Effects of Quantitative Easing on Interest Rates: Channels and Implications for Policy," Brookings Papers on Economic Activity, Economic Studies Program, The Brookings Institution, vol. 43(2 (Fall)), pages 215-287.
    22. Grosse-Rueschkamp, Benjamin & Steffen, Sascha & Streitz, Daniel, 2019. "A capital structure channel of monetary policy," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 133(2), pages 357-378.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Cohen, Lior, 2023. "The effects of the BoJ's ETF purchases on equities and corporate investment," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 129(C).

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. De Santis, Roberto A. & Zaghini, Andrea, 2021. "Unconventional monetary policy and corporate bond issuance," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 135(C).
    2. Albertazzi, Ugo & Barbiero, Francesca & Marqués-Ibáñez, David & Popov, Alexander & Rodriguez d’Acri, Costanza & Vlassopoulos, Thomas, 2020. "Monetary policy and bank stability: the analytical toolbox reviewed," Working Paper Series 2377, European Central Bank.
    3. Maciej Stefański, 2021. "Macroeconomic Effects of Quantitative Easing Using Mid-sized Bayesian Vector Autoregressions," KAE Working Papers 2021-068, Warsaw School of Economics, Collegium of Economic Analysis.
    4. Galema, Rients & Lugo, Stefano, 2021. "When central banks buy corporate bonds: Target selection and impact of the European Corporate Sector Purchase Program," Journal of Financial Stability, Elsevier, vol. 54(C).
    5. Zaghini, Andrea, 2019. "The CSPP at work: Yield heterogeneity and the portfolio rebalancing channel," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 56(C), pages 282-297.
    6. Cohen, Lior, 2023. "The effects of the BoJ's ETF purchases on equities and corporate investment," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 129(C).
    7. Pelizzon, Loriana & Riedel, Max & Simon, Zorka & Subrahmanyam, Marti G., 2020. "Collateral eligibility of corporate debt in the Eurosystem," SAFE Working Paper Series 275, Leibniz Institute for Financial Research SAFE.
    8. Mäkinen, Taneli & Li, Fan & Mercatanti, Andrea & Silvestrini, Andrea, 2022. "Causal analysis of central bank holdings of corporate bonds under interference," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 113(C).
    9. Berg, Tobias & Haselmann, Rainer & Kick, Thomas & Schreiber, Sebastian, 2023. "Unintended consequences of QE: Real estate prices and financial stability," IMFS Working Paper Series 196, Goethe University Frankfurt, Institute for Monetary and Financial Stability (IMFS).
    10. Grosse-Rueschkamp, Benjamin & Steffen, Sascha & Streitz, Daniel, 2019. "A capital structure channel of monetary policy," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 133(2), pages 357-378.
    11. Joost Bats, 2020. "Corporates dependence on banks: The impact of ECB corporate sector purchases," Working Papers 667, DNB.
    12. Franziska Bremus & Franziska Schütze & Aleksandar Zaklan, 2021. "The Impact of ECB Corporate Sector Purchases on European Green Bonds," Discussion Papers of DIW Berlin 1938, DIW Berlin, German Institute for Economic Research.
    13. Bank for International Settlements, 2019. "Unconventional monetary policy tools: a cross-country analysis," CGFS Papers, Bank for International Settlements, number 63, december.
    14. Betz, Frank & De Santis, Roberto A., 2019. "ECB corporate QE and the loan supply to bank-dependent firms," Working Paper Series 2314, European Central Bank.
    15. Pegoraro, Stefano & Montagna, Mattia, 2021. "Issuance and valuation of corporate bonds with quantitative easing," Working Paper Series 2520, European Central Bank.
    16. Lee, Seung Jung & Liu, Lucy Qian & Stebunovs, Viktors, 2022. "Risk-taking spillovers of U.S. monetary policy in the global market for U.S. dollar corporate loans," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 138(C).
    17. Seung Jung Lee & Lucy Qian Liu & Viktors Stebunovs, 2017. "Risk Taking and Interest Rates: Evidence from Decades in the Global Syndicated Loan Market," IMF Working Papers 2017/016, International Monetary Fund.
    18. D’Amico, Stefania & Kaminska, Iryna, 2019. "Credit easing versus quantitative easing: evidence from corporate and government bond purchase programs," Bank of England working papers 825, Bank of England.
    19. Ferrando, Annalisa & Popov, Alexander & Udell, Gregory F., 2022. "Unconventional monetary policy, funding expectations, and firm decisions," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 149(C).
    20. Paludkiewicz, Karol, 2018. "Unconventional Monetary Policy, Bank Lending, and Security Holdings: The Yield-Induced Portfolio Rebalancing Channel," VfS Annual Conference 2018 (Freiburg, Breisgau): Digital Economy 181669, Verein für Socialpolitik / German Economic Association.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    quantitative easing (QE); Corporate bonds; CSPP; Corporate credit risk; Liquidity risk;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • E52 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Monetary Policy, Central Banking, and the Supply of Money and Credit - - - Monetary Policy
    • E58 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Monetary Policy, Central Banking, and the Supply of Money and Credit - - - Central Banks and Their Policies
    • E22 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Consumption, Saving, Production, Employment, and Investment - - - Investment; Capital; Intangible Capital; Capacity
    • G12 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - Asset Pricing; Trading Volume; Bond Interest Rates
    • G01 - Financial Economics - - General - - - Financial Crises

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:intfin:v:79:y:2022:i:c:s1042443122000786. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/intfin .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.