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Market-Based Monetary Policy Uncertainty

Author

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  • Michael D. Bauer
  • Aeimit K. Lakdawala
  • Philippe Mueller

Abstract

This paper investigates the role of monetary policy uncertainty for the transmission of FOMC actions to financial markets using a novel model-free measure of uncertainty based on derivative prices. We document a systematic pattern in monetary policy uncertainty over the course of the FOMC meeting cycle: On FOMC announcement days uncertainty tends to decline substantially, indicating the resolution of policy uncertainty. This decline is then reversed over the first two weeks of the intermeeting FOMC cycle. Both the level and the changes in uncertainty play an important role for the transmission of monetary policy to financial markets. First, changes in uncertainty have substantial effects on a variety of asset prices that are distinct from the effects of the conventional policy surprise measure. For example, the Fed's forward guidance announcements affected asset prices not only by adjusting the expected policy path but also by changing market-perceived uncertainty about this path. Second, at high levels of uncertainty a monetary policy surprise has only modest effects on assets, whereas with low uncertainty the impact is significantly more pronounced.

Suggested Citation

  • Michael D. Bauer & Aeimit K. Lakdawala & Philippe Mueller, 2021. "Market-Based Monetary Policy Uncertainty," Working Paper Series 2019-12, Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco.
  • Handle: RePEc:fip:fedfwp:2019-12
    DOI: 10.24148/wp2019-12
    Note: The first version of this Working Paper was published August 15, 2018.
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    monetary policy uncertainty; Federal Reserve; event study; monetary transmission; jumps; implied volatility; asset prices;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • 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
    • E58 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Monetary Policy, Central Banking, and the Supply of Money and Credit - - - Central Banks and Their Policies
    • G10 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - General (includes Measurement and Data)

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