Interpreting the Unconventional U.S. Monetary Policy of 2007-09
Abstract
This paper reviews the unconventional U.S. monetary policy responses to the financial and real crises of 2007-09, divided into three groups: interest rate policy, quantitative policy, and credit policy. To interpret interest rate policy, it compares the Federal Reserve's actions with the literature on optimal policy in a liquidity trap. This comparison suggests that policy has been in the direction indicated by theory, but it has not gone far enough. To interpret quantitative policy, the paper reviews the determination of inflation under different policy regimes. The main danger for inflation from current actions is that the Federal Reserve may lose its policy independence; a beneficial side effect of the crisis is that the Friedman rule can be implemented by paying interest on reserves. To interpret credit policy, the paper presents a new model of capital market imperfections with different financial institutions and a role for securitization , leveraging, and mark-to-market accounting. The model suggests that providing credit to traders in securities markets is a more effective response than extending credit to the originators of loans.Download Info
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Paper provided by Columbia University, Department of Economics in its series Discussion Papers with number 0910-13.Length:
Date of creation: 2010
Date of revision:
Handle: RePEc:clu:wpaper:0910-13
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Keywords:Other versions of this item:
- Ricardo Reis, 2009. "Interpreting the Unconventional U.S. Monetary Policy of 2007-09," Brookings Papers on Economic Activity, Economic Studies Program, The Brookings Institution, vol. 40(2 (Fall)), pages 119-182.
- Ricardo Reis, 2010. "Interpreting the Unconventional U.S. Monetary Policy of 2007-09," NBER Working Papers 15662, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
- Reis, Ricardo, 2010. "Interpreting the Unconventional U.S. Monetary Policy of 2007-09," CEPR Discussion Papers 7635, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
- E31 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Prices, Business Fluctuations, and Cycles - - - Price Level; Inflation; Deflation
- E42 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Money and Interest Rates - - - Monetary Sytsems; Standards; Regimes; Government and the Monetary System
- E50 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Monetary Policy, Central Banking, and the Supply of Money and Credit - - - General
- E61 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Macroeconomic Policy, Macroeconomic Aspects of Public Finance, and General Outlook - - - Policy Objectives; Policy Designs and Consistency; Policy Coordination
This paper has been announced in the following NEP Reports:
- NEP-ALL-2010-05-02 (All new papers)
- NEP-CBA-2010-05-02 (Central Banking)
- NEP-MAC-2010-05-02 (Macroeconomics)
- NEP-MON-2010-05-02 (Monetary Economics)
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