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The great Covid cash surge - digitalisation hasn't dented cash's safe haven role

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  • Ashworth, Jonathan
  • Goodhart, C. A. E.

Abstract

There is a debate about the effect of the extremely low, or even negative, interest rate regime on bank profitability. On the one hand it raises demand and thereby adds to bank profits, while on the other hand it lowers net interest margins, especially at the Zero Lower Bound. In this paper we review whether the prior paper by Altavilla, Boucinha and Peydro (2018) on this question for the Eurozone can be generalized to other monetary blocs, i.e. USA and UK. While our findings have some similarity with their earlier work, we are more concerned about the possible negative effects of this regime, not only on bank profitability but also on bank credit extension more widely.

Suggested Citation

  • Ashworth, Jonathan & Goodhart, C. A. E., 2021. "The great Covid cash surge - digitalisation hasn't dented cash's safe haven role," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 112432, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    • Handle: RePEc:ehl:lserod:112432
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    File URL: http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/112432/
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Heng Chen & Walter Engert & Marie-Hélène Felt & Kim P. Huynh & Gradon Nicholls & Daneal O'Habib & Julia Zhu, 2021. "Cash and COVID-19: The impact of the second wave in Canada," Discussion Papers 2021-12, Bank of Canada.
    2. Caswell, Ellen & Hewkin Smith, Miranda & Learmonth, David & Pearce, Gareth, 2020. "Cash in the time of Covid," Bank of England Quarterly Bulletin, Bank of England, vol. 60(4), pages 2-2.
    3. Heng Chen & Walter Engert & Kim Huynh & Gradon Nicholls & Julia Zhu, 2021. "Cash and COVID-19: The Effects of Lifting Containment Measures on Cash Demand and Use," Discussion Papers 2021-3, Bank of Canada.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    cash; banknote issue and withdrawal; Covid-19; panic response; coronavirus;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • E40 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Money and Interest Rates - - - General
    • E41 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Money and Interest Rates - - - Demand for Money
    • E49 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Money and Interest Rates - - - Other
    • N10 - Economic History - - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics; Industrial Structure; Growth; Fluctuations - - - General, International, or Comparative
    • N20 - Economic History - - Financial Markets and Institutions - - - General, International, or Comparative

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