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Lower for longer: The case of the ECB

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  • Bletzinger, Tilman
  • Wieland, Volker

Abstract

Research has suggested that monetary policy acts asymmetrically near zero interest rates. We match past ECB decisions with a simple forecast-based reaction function. The policy easing that started in 2013 has led to a deviation indicating a “lower for longer” approach.

Suggested Citation

  • Bletzinger, Tilman & Wieland, Volker, 2017. "Lower for longer: The case of the ECB," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 159(C), pages 123-127.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ecolet:v:159:y:2017:i:c:p:123-127
    DOI: 10.1016/j.econlet.2017.06.030
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    Cited by:

    1. Bofinger, Peter & Feld, Lars P. & Schmidt, Christoph M. & Schnabel, Isabel & Wieland, Volker, 2018. "Vor wichtigen wirtschaftspolitischen Weichenstellungen. Jahresgutachten 2018/19 [Setting the Right Course for Economic Policy. Annual Report 2018/19]," Annual Economic Reports / Jahresgutachten, German Council of Economic Experts / Sachverständigenrat zur Begutachtung der gesamtwirtschaftlichen Entwicklung, volume 127, number 201819, February.
    2. Lars P Feld & Volker Wieland, 2021. "The German Federal Constitutional Court Ruling and the European Central Bank’s Strategy," Journal of Financial Regulation, Oxford University Press, vol. 7(2), pages 217-253.
    3. Philipp Hartman & Frank Smets, 2018. "The European Central Bank’s Monetary Policy during Its First 20 Years," Brookings Papers on Economic Activity, Economic Studies Program, The Brookings Institution, vol. 49(2 (Fall)), pages 1-146.
    4. Christian Pfister & Jean-Guillaume Sahuc, 2020. "Unconventional monetary policies: A stock-taking exercise," Revue d'économie politique, Dalloz, vol. 130(2), pages 137-169.
    5. Beck, Guenter W. & Wieland, Volker, 2017. "How to normalize monetary policy in the Euro area," IMFS Working Paper Series 115, Goethe University Frankfurt, Institute for Monetary and Financial Stability (IMFS).
    6. Maritta Paloviita & Markus Haavio & Pirkka Jalasjoki & Juha Kilponen, 2021. "What Does "Below, but Close to, 2 Percent" Mean? Assessing the ECB's Reaction Function with Real-Time Data," International Journal of Central Banking, International Journal of Central Banking, vol. 17(2), pages 125-169, June.
    7. Ansgar Belke & Jens Klose, 2019. "Forecasting ECB Policy Rates with Different Monetary Policy Rules," Czech Journal of Economics and Finance (Finance a uver), Charles University Prague, Faculty of Social Sciences, vol. 69(3), pages 238-252, June.
    8. Carlos J. Rodríguez Fuentes & David Padrón Marrero, 2019. "The ECB monetary strategy: A critical assessment," Revista de Economía Crítica, Asociación de Economía Crítica, vol. 27, pages 16-31.
    9. Stéphane Lhuissier & Aymeric Ortmans & Fabien Tripier, 2024. "The Risk of Inflation Dispersion in the Euro Area," Working papers 954, Banque de France.
    10. Crombach, Lamar & Bohn, Frank & Sturm, Jan-Egbert, 2024. "The “Benefits” of being small: Loose fiscal policy in the European Monetary Union," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 234(C).
    11. Klose, Jens, 2023. "Estimated monetary policy rules for the ECB with granular variations of forecast horizons for inflation and output," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 127(C).
    12. repec:spo:wpmain:info:hdl:2441/61ma1iq1299m89uud61kkjcjot is not listed on IDEAS
    13. Wieland, Volker, 2021. "The decline in euro area inflation and the choice of policy strategy," IMFS Working Paper Series 159, Goethe University Frankfurt, Institute for Monetary and Financial Stability (IMFS).
    14. Feld, Lars P. & Schmidt, Christoph M. & Schnabel, Isabel & Truger, Achim & Wieland, Volker, 2019. "Den Strukturwandel meistern. Jahresgutachten 2019/20 [Dealing with Structural Change. Annual Report 2019/20]," Annual Economic Reports / Jahresgutachten, German Council of Economic Experts / Sachverständigenrat zur Begutachtung der gesamtwirtschaftlichen Entwicklung, volume 127, number 201920, February.
    15. Bofinger, Peter & Schnabel, Isabel & Feld, Lars P. & Schmidt, Christoph M. & Wieland, Volker, 2015. "Zukunftsfähigkeit in den Mittelpunkt. Jahresgutachten 2015/16 [Focus on Future Viability. Annual Report 2015/16]," Annual Economic Reports / Jahresgutachten, German Council of Economic Experts / Sachverständigenrat zur Begutachtung der gesamtwirtschaftlichen Entwicklung, volume 127, number 201516, February.
    16. Jens Klose, 2021. "Daily Monetary Policy Rules and the ECB's Medium-Term Orientation," MAGKS Papers on Economics 202129, Philipps-Universität Marburg, Faculty of Business Administration and Economics, Department of Economics (Volkswirtschaftliche Abteilung).
    17. van Holle, Frederiek, 2017. "Essays in empirical finance and monetary policy," Other publications TiSEM 30d11a4b-7bc9-4c81-ad24-5, Tilburg University, School of Economics and Management.
    18. Paloviita, Maritta & Haavio, Markus & Jalasjoki, Pirkka & Kilponen, Juha, 2017. "What does "below, but close to, two percent" mean? Assessing the ECB's reaction function with real time data," Bank of Finland Research Discussion Papers 29/2017, Bank of Finland.
    19. repec:hal:spmain:info:hdl:2441/61ma1iq1299m89uud61kkjcjot is not listed on IDEAS

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Monetary policy; Interest rates; European Central Bank; Forward guidance; Zero lower bound;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • E43 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Money and Interest Rates - - - Interest Rates: Determination, Term Structure, and Effects
    • E47 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Money and Interest Rates - - - Forecasting and Simulation: Models and Applications
    • 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

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