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The Behavior of U.S. Short-Term Interest Rates Since 1979-10

Author

Listed:
  • Richard H. Clarida
  • Benjamin M. Friedman

    (Harvard University)

Abstract

Short-term interest rates in the United States have been "too high" since 1979-10 in the sense that both unconditional and conditional forecasts, based on an estimated vector autoregression model summarizing the prior experience, underpredict short-term interest rates during this period. Although a non-structural model cannot directly answer the question of why this has been so, comparisons of alternative conditional forecasts point to the post-1979-10 relationship between the growth of real income and the growth of real money balances as closely connected to the level and pattern of short-term interest rates. This finding is consistent with the authors' macroeconomic model, that the high average level of interest rates has been due to a combination of slow growth of (nominal) money supply and continuing price inflation, which together have kept real balances small in relation to prevailing levels of economic activity.

Suggested Citation

  • Richard H. Clarida & Benjamin M. Friedman, 1986. "The Behavior of U.S. Short-Term Interest Rates Since 1979-10," Cowles Foundation Discussion Papers 695, Cowles Foundation for Research in Economics, Yale University.
    • Handle: RePEc:cwl:cwldpp:695
    Note: CFP 596.
    as

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    File URL: https://cowles.yale.edu/sites/default/files/files/pub/d06/d0695.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Sims, Christopher A, 1980. "Comparison of Interwar and Postwar Business Cycles: Monetarism Reconsidered," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 70(2), pages 250-257, May.
    2. Richard H. Clarida & Diane Coyle, 1984. "Conditional Projection by Means of Kalman Filtering," Cowles Foundation Discussion Papers 702, Cowles Foundation for Research in Economics, Yale University.
    3. Richard H. Clarida & Benjamin M. Friedman, 1983. "Why Have Short-Term Interest Rates Been So High?," Brookings Papers on Economic Activity, Economic Studies Program, The Brookings Institution, vol. 14(2), pages 553-586.
    4. Christopher A. Sims, 1982. "Policy Analysis with Econometric Models," Brookings Papers on Economic Activity, Economic Studies Program, The Brookings Institution, vol. 13(1), pages 107-164.
    5. Thomas Doan & Robert B. Litterman & Christopher A. Sims, 1983. "Forecasting and Conditional Projection Using Realistic Prior Distributions," NBER Working Papers 1202, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    6. Sims, Christopher A, 1980. "Macroeconomics and Reality," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 48(1), pages 1-48, January.
    7. Benjamin M. Friedman, 1977. "The Inefficiency of Short-Run Monetary Targets for Monetary Policy," Brookings Papers on Economic Activity, Economic Studies Program, The Brookings Institution, vol. 8(2), pages 293-346.
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    Short term interest rates;

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