IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/p/boi/wpaper/2025.07.html
   My bibliography  Save this paper

Assessing the Impact of Corporate Bond Purchase Programs: Insights from Israel

Author

Listed:
  • Noam Michelson

    (Bank of Israel)

Abstract

This paper evaluates the impact of the Bank of Israel’s corporate bond purchase program initiated in July 2020 amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The analysis reveals that the announcement led to significant reductions in credit spreads for eligible and noneligible bonds, and particularly for A-rated bonds, while actual purchases had an additional, yet limited, effect. Additionally, the program reopened the primary market for noninvestment grade issuances. Finally, the inclusion of bonds issued by commercial banks as eligible for purchasing, a unique feature of the program, had a positive effect on commercial banks' credit supply. This study provides new insights into central bank interventions during financial crises and presents novel evidence for innovative crisis management tools intended to stimulate credit in times of distress.

Suggested Citation

  • Noam Michelson, 2025. "Assessing the Impact of Corporate Bond Purchase Programs: Insights from Israel," Bank of Israel Working Papers 2025.07, Bank of Israel.
    • Handle: RePEc:boi:wpaper:2025.07
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://boiwebrepec.azurefd.net/RePEc/boi/wpaper/WP_2025.07.pdf
    File Function: First Version, 2025
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Valentin Haddad & Alan Moreira & Tyler Muir, 2021. "When Selling Becomes Viral: Disruptions in Debt Markets in the COVID-19 Crisis and the Fed’s Response [Funding value adjustments]," The Review of Financial Studies, Society for Financial Studies, vol. 34(11), pages 5309-5351.
    2. Todorov, Karamfil, 2020. "Quantify the quantitative easing: Impact on bonds and corporate debt issuance," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 135(2), pages 340-358.
    3. Gilchrist, Simon & Wei, Bin & Yue, Vivian Z. & Zakrajšek, Egon, 2024. "The Fed takes on corporate credit risk: An analysis of the efficacy of the SMCCF," Journal of Monetary Economics, Elsevier, vol. 146(C).
    4. Boyarchenko, Nina & Kovner, Anna & Shachar, Or, 2022. "It’s what you say and what you buy: A holistic evaluation of the corporate credit facilities," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 144(3), pages 695-731.
    5. Menachem Meni Abudy & Avi Wohl, 2018. "Corporate Bond Trading on a Limit Order Book Exchange," Review of Finance, European Finance Association, vol. 22(4), pages 1413-1440.
    6. Breckenfelder, Johannes & De Falco, Veronica, 2024. "Investor heterogeneity and large-scale asset purchases," Working Paper Series 2938, European Central Bank.
    7. Merton, Robert C, 1974. "On the Pricing of Corporate Debt: The Risk Structure of Interest Rates," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 29(2), pages 449-470, May.
    8. Ferrando, Annalisa & Popov, Alexander & Udell, Gregory F., 2022. "Unconventional monetary policy, funding expectations, and firm decisions," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 149(C).
    9. Arvind Krishnamurthy & Annette Vissing-Jorgensen, 2011. "The Effects of Quantitative Easing on Interest Rates: Channels and Implications for Policy," Brookings Papers on Economic Activity, Economic Studies Program, The Brookings Institution, vol. 42(2 (Fall)), pages 215-287.
    10. Simon Gilchrist & Egon Zakrajsek, 2012. "Credit Spreads and Business Cycle Fluctuations," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 102(4), pages 1692-1720, June.
    11. O'Hara, Maureen & Zhou, Xing (Alex), 2021. "Anatomy of a liquidity crisis: Corporate bonds in the COVID-19 crisis," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 142(1), pages 46-68.
    12. Meital Graham-Rozen & Haim Vieder & Noam Michelson, 2024. "The Factors Affecting Corporate Bond Spreads," Israel Economic Review, Bank of Israel, vol. 22(1), pages 1-46, September.
    13. Carpinelli, Luisa & Crosignani, Matteo, 2021. "The design and transmission of central bank liquidity provisions," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 141(1), pages 27-47.
    14. Nozawa, Yoshio & Qiu, Yancheng, 2021. "Corporate bond market reactions to quantitative easing during the COVID-19 pandemic," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 133(C).
    15. Long Chen & David A. Lesmond & Jason Wei, 2007. "Corporate Yield Spreads and Bond Liquidity," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 62(1), pages 119-149, February.
    16. Arvind Krishnamurthy & Annette Vissing-Jorgensen, 2011. "The Effects of Quantitative Easing on Interest Rates: Channels and Implications for Policy," Brookings Papers on Economic Activity, Economic Studies Program, The Brookings Institution, vol. 43(2 (Fall)), pages 215-287.
    17. Galema, Rients & Lugo, Stefano, 2021. "When central banks buy corporate bonds: Target selection and impact of the European Corporate Sector Purchase Program," Journal of Financial Stability, Elsevier, vol. 54(C).
    18. Frank Betz & Roberto A. De Santis, 2022. "ECB Corporate QE and the Loan Supply to Bank-Dependent Firms," International Journal of Central Banking, International Journal of Central Banking, vol. 18(2), pages 107-148, June.
    19. Asim Ijaz Khwaja & Atif Mian, 2008. "Tracing the Impact of Bank Liquidity Shocks: Evidence from an Emerging Market," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 98(4), pages 1413-1442, September.
    20. Grosse-Rueschkamp, Benjamin & Steffen, Sascha & Streitz, Daniel, 2019. "A capital structure channel of monetary policy," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 133(2), pages 357-378.
    21. Steinberg, Nadav & Wohl, Avi, 2024. "Market timing in open market bond repurchases," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 161(C).
    22. Bordo, Michael D. & Duca, John V., 2022. "How new Fed corporate bond programs cushioned the Covid-19 recession," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 136(C).
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Gilchrist, Simon & Wei, Bin & Yue, Vivian Z. & Zakrajšek, Egon, 2024. "The Fed takes on corporate credit risk: An analysis of the efficacy of the SMCCF," Journal of Monetary Economics, Elsevier, vol. 146(C).
    2. Zaghini, Andrea, 2024. "Unconventional green," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 85(C).
    3. Boyarchenko, Nina & Kovner, Anna & Shachar, Or, 2022. "It’s what you say and what you buy: A holistic evaluation of the corporate credit facilities," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 144(3), pages 695-731.
    4. Goldstein, Michael A. & Namin, Elmira Shekari, 2023. "Corporate bond liquidity and yield spreads: A review," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 65(C).
    5. Cohen, Lior & Furman, Itai, 2024. "The impact of the ECB's PEPP project on the COVID-19-Induced crisis in the corporate bond market," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 235(C).
    6. Roberto Vincenzi, 2025. "Voluntary disclosures and monetary policy: evidence from quantitative easing," Review of Accounting Studies, Springer, vol. 30(1), pages 650-701, March.
    7. Holm-Hadulla, Fédéric & Leombroni, Matteo, 2025. "Heterogeneous intermediaries in the transmission of central bank corporate bond purchases," Working Paper Series 3101, European Central Bank.
    8. Pegoraro, Stefano & Montagna, Mattia, 2021. "Issuance and valuation of corporate bonds with quantitative easing," Working Paper Series 2520, European Central Bank.
    9. Valentin Haddad & Alan Moreira & Tyler Muir, 2021. "When Selling Becomes Viral: Disruptions in Debt Markets in the COVID-19 Crisis and the Fed’s Response [Funding value adjustments]," The Review of Financial Studies, Society for Financial Studies, vol. 34(11), pages 5309-5351.
    10. Kanda, Joana F. & Pinto, João M. & Silva, Beatriz P., 2025. "The ECB’s APP’s impact on non-financial firms’ cost of borrowing and debt choice," Journal of Financial Stability, Elsevier, vol. 77(C).
    11. Acharya, Viral V. & Plantin, Guillaume & Reggiani, Pietro & Yao, Iris, 2024. "Monetary easing, lack of investment and financial instability," Journal of Financial Intermediation, Elsevier, vol. 59(C).
    12. Breckenfelder, Johannes & Hoerova, Marie, 2023. "Do non-banks need access to the lender of last resort? Evidence from fund runs," Working Paper Series 2805, European Central Bank.
    13. repec:bdi:wptemi:misp_036_23 is not listed on IDEAS
    14. Falato, Antonio & Goldstein, Itay & Hortaçsu, Ali, 2021. "Financial fragility in the COVID-19 crisis: The case of investment funds in corporate bond markets," Journal of Monetary Economics, Elsevier, vol. 123(C), pages 35-52.
    15. Acharya, Viral V. & Banerjee, Ryan & Crosignani, Matteo & Eisert, Tim & Spigt, Renée, 2025. "Exorbitant privilege? Quantitative easing and the bond market subsidy of prospective fallen angels," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 170(C).
    16. Abidi, Nordine & Falagiarda, Matteo & Miquel-Flores, Ixart, 2023. "Quantitative easing and credit rating agencies," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 86(C).
    17. Pelizzon, Loriana & Riedel, Max & Simon, Zorka & Subrahmanyam, Marti G., 2024. "Collateral eligibility of corporate debt in the Eurosystem," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 153(C).
    18. Joost Bats, 2020. "Corporates dependence on banks: The impact of ECB corporate sector purchases," Working Papers 667, DNB.
    19. Mäkinen, Taneli & Li, Fan & Mercatanti, Andrea & Silvestrini, Andrea, 2022. "Causal analysis of central bank holdings of corporate bonds under interference," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 113(C).
    20. Nozawa, Yoshio & Qiu, Yancheng, 2021. "Corporate bond market reactions to quantitative easing during the COVID-19 pandemic," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 133(C).
    21. Simone Letta & Pasquale Mirante, 2023. "Investigating the determinants of corporate bond credit spreads in the euro area," Mercati, infrastrutture, sistemi di pagamento (Markets, Infrastructures, Payment Systems) 36, Bank of Italy, Directorate General for Markets and Payment System.

    More about this item

    NEP fields

    This paper has been announced in the following NEP Reports:

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:boi:wpaper:2025.07. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Yossi Yakhin (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/boigvil.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.