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The interest rate and credit channels in Belgium: an investigation with micro-level firm data

Author

Listed:
  • Paul Butzen

    (National Bank of Belgium, Research Department)

  • Catherine Fuss

    (National Bank of Belgium, Research Department)

  • Philip Vermeulen

    (European Central Bank)

Abstract

This paper investigates the effects of monetary policy on firms\u2019 investment behaviour. The analysis relies on a comprehensive database of Belgian firms covering all sectors of economic activity and firms of all sizes. We proceed in two steps. First, we estimate a reduced-form investment equation derived from the neo-classical model, augmented by cash flow. This equation is estimated by the Arellano and Bond (1991) GMM procedure. Second, we compute the elasticity of the user cost of capital and the cash flow/capital ratio to the policy-controlled interest rate. We estimate the model for various sample splits according to sectors and sizes. Our results indicate that small firms are more sensitive to monetary policy than large firms, and that services are almost unaffected. Since the impact differs across sectors and sizes, we can conclude that monetary policy produces distributional effects.

Suggested Citation

  • Paul Butzen & Catherine Fuss & Philip Vermeulen, 2001. "The interest rate and credit channels in Belgium: an investigation with micro-level firm data," Working Paper Research 18, National Bank of Belgium.
    • Handle: RePEc:nbb:reswpp:2001-12
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Investment; Monetary transmission; Credit channel; Panel data;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C23 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Single Equation Models; Single Variables - - - Models with Panel Data; Spatio-temporal Models
    • D21 - Microeconomics - - Production and Organizations - - - Firm Behavior: Theory
    • E50 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Monetary Policy, Central Banking, and the Supply of Money and Credit - - - General

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