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Low real rates as driver of secular stagnation: Empirical assessment

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  • van den End, Jan Willem
  • Hoeberichts, Marco

Abstract

We empirically test whether there is a causal link between the real interest rate and the natural rate of interest, which could be a harbinger of secular stagnation if the real rate declines. Outcomes of VAR models for seven OECD countries show that a fall in the real rate indeed affects the natural rate. This causality is significant for Japan in all model specifications, for Canada, France, UK and Germany in some specifications and it is not significant for the US and Italy. The policy implication is that to avoid secular stagnation, expansionary monetary policy to reduce the real rate is less effective than policies aimed at raising the natural rate.

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  • van den End, Jan Willem & Hoeberichts, Marco, 2018. "Low real rates as driver of secular stagnation: Empirical assessment," Japan and the World Economy, Elsevier, vol. 46(C), pages 29-40.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:japwor:v:46:y:2018:i:c:p:29-40
    DOI: 10.1016/j.japwor.2018.03.001
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    Cited by:

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    2. Claudio Borio & Piti Disyatat & Phurichai Rungcharoenkitkul, 2018. "What Anchors for the Natural Rate of Interest?," PIER Discussion Papers 98, Puey Ungphakorn Institute for Economic Research.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Interest rates; Financial markets and the macroeconomy; Monetary policy;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • E43 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Money and Interest Rates - - - Interest Rates: Determination, Term Structure, and Effects
    • E44 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Money and Interest Rates - - - Financial Markets and the Macroeconomy
    • E52 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Monetary Policy, Central Banking, and the Supply of Money and Credit - - - Monetary Policy

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