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How sensitive is the economy to large interest rate increases? Evidence from the taper tantrum

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Abstract

The “taper tantrum” of 2013 represents one of the largest monetary policy shocks since the 1980s. During this episode, long-term interest rates spiked 100 basis points—a move unintentionally induced by policymakers. However, this had no observable negative effect on the overall U.S. economy. Output, employment, and other important variables, all performed either in line with or better than consensus forecasts, often improving considerably relative to their earlier trends. We conclude that, from low levels, a 100 basis point increase in long-term interest rates is probably too small to affect overall economic activity and discuss the implications for monetary policy.

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  • Nitish R. Sinha & Michael Smolyansky, 2022. "How sensitive is the economy to large interest rate increases? Evidence from the taper tantrum," Finance and Economics Discussion Series 2022-085, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (U.S.).
    • Handle: RePEc:fip:fedgfe:2022
    DOI: 10.17016/FEDS.2022.085
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    Cited by:

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    2. Kurov, Alexander & Olson, Eric & Wolfe, Marketa Halova, 2024. "Have the causal effects between equities, oil prices, and monetary policy changed over time?," Journal of Commodity Markets, Elsevier, vol. 36(C).

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    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • E43 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Money and Interest Rates - - - Interest Rates: Determination, Term Structure, and Effects
    • 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

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