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Central Bank Financial Strength, Transparency, and Policy Credibility

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  • Mr. Peter Stella

Abstract

A central bank is financially strong if it possesses resources sufficient to attain its fundamental policy objective(s). Once endowed with those resources, relations between government and central bank should be designed so that significant changes in central bank financial strength do not occur unless necessitated by changes in policy objectives. The level of strength required depends on the array of policy objectives (for example, the exchange rate regime) as well as the constraints and risks presented by the operational environment. Attaining credibility is facilitated if the public can easily determine the financial strength of the bank, yet for a variety of reasons this is often difficult. Transparency requires institutional arrangements that ensure the central bank generates profit in most states of the world, is subject to strict ex post independent audit, and transfers regularly all profits, after provisions, to the treasury.

Suggested Citation

  • Mr. Peter Stella, 2002. "Central Bank Financial Strength, Transparency, and Policy Credibility," IMF Working Papers 2002/137, International Monetary Fund.
    • Handle: RePEc:imf:imfwpa:2002/137
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Olivier Jeanne & Lars E. O. Svensson, 2007. "Credible Commitment to Optimal Escape from a Liquidity Trap: The Role of the Balance Sheet of an Independent Central Bank," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 97(1), pages 474-490, March.
    2. Schobert, Franziska, 2006. "Linking financial soundness and independence of central banks--Central and Eastern Europe, Turkey and CIS countries," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 20(2), pages 239-255, June.
    3. Cukierman, Alex, 2008. "Central bank independence and monetary policymaking institutions -- Past, present and future," European Journal of Political Economy, Elsevier, vol. 24(4), pages 722-736, December.
    4. Martin Mandel & Vladimír Zelenka, 2009. "Ztráta centrální banky - účetní a ekonomický pohled na příkladě České národní banky [Central bank Losses. An Economic and Accounting Perspective Using the Example of the Czech National Bank]," Politická ekonomie, Prague University of Economics and Business, vol. 2009(6), pages 723-739.
    5. John Hawkins, 2003. "Central bank balance sheets and fiscal operations," BIS Papers chapters, in: Bank for International Settlements (ed.), Fiscal issues and central banking in emerging economies, volume 20, pages 71-83, Bank for International Settlements.
    6. Kooths, Stefan & van Roye, Björn, 2012. "Euro area: Single currency - national money creation," Kiel Working Papers 1787, Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW Kiel).
    7. Ljungwall, Christer & Xiong, Yi & Zou, Yutong, 2009. "Central Bank Financial Strength And The Cost Of Sterilization In China," Working Paper Series 2009-8, Stockholm School of Economics, China Economic Research Center.
    8. Zbigniew Polański & Mikołaj Szadkowski, 2021. "An accounting-based model of seigniorage, and recent monetary developments," Bank i Kredyt, Narodowy Bank Polski, vol. 52(5), pages 391-436.
    9. Sascha Buetzer, 2022. "Advancing the Monetary Policy Toolkit through Outright Transfers," IMF Working Papers 2022/087, International Monetary Fund.
    10. Winkler, Adalbert & Bindseil, Ulrich, 2012. "Dual liquidity crises under alternative monetary frameworks," VfS Annual Conference 2012 (Goettingen): New Approaches and Challenges for the Labor Market of the 21st Century 62032, Verein für Socialpolitik / German Economic Association.
    11. Karel Brůna, 2010. "Akumulace devizových rezerv centrálních bank a dynamika absorpce likvidity bankovních systémů České republiky, Polska a Maďarska [Central Bank´s Foreign Exchange Reserves Accumulation and Dynamics ," Politická ekonomie, Prague University of Economics and Business, vol. 2010(6), pages 723-746.
    12. repec:cii:cepiei:2010-4ta is not listed on IDEAS
    13. Dumitriu, Ramona & Stefanescu, Răzvan, 2013. "Decizii strategice ale politicii monetare [Strategic decisions of the Monetary Policy]," MPRA Paper 51242, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 05 Nov 2013.
    14. Ljungwall, Christer & Xiong, Yi & Yutong, Zou, 2013. "Central bank financial strength and the cost of sterilization in China," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 25(C), pages 105-116.

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