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Floor systems for implementing monetary policy: Some unpleasant fiscal arithmetic

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  • Aleksander Berentsen
  • Alessandro Marchesiani
  • Christopher J. Waller

Abstract

An increasing number of central banks implement monetary policy via a channel system or a floor system. We construct a general equilibrium model to study the properties of these systems. We find that a floor system is weakly optimal if and only if the target rate satisfies the Friedman rule. Unfortunately, the optimal floor system requires either transfers from the fiscal authority to the central bank or a reduction in seigniorage payments from the central bank to the government. This is the unpleasant fiscal arithmetic of a floor system. When the central bank faces financing constraints on its interest expense, we show that it is strictly optimal to operate a channel system.

Suggested Citation

  • Aleksander Berentsen & Alessandro Marchesiani & Christopher J. Waller, 2013. "Floor systems for implementing monetary policy: Some unpleasant fiscal arithmetic," ECON - Working Papers 121, Department of Economics - University of Zurich, revised Sep 2013.
  • Handle: RePEc:zur:econwp:121
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    Cited by:

    1. Lukas Altermatt, 2022. "Inside Money, Investment, And Unconventional Monetary Policy," International Economic Review, Department of Economics, University of Pennsylvania and Osaka University Institute of Social and Economic Research Association, vol. 63(4), pages 1527-1560, November.
    2. Aleksander Berentsen & Hugo van Buggenum & Romina Ruprecht, 2020. "On the negatives of negative interest rates and the positives of exemption thresholds," ECON - Working Papers 372, Department of Economics - University of Zurich.
    3. Garth Baughman & Francesca Carapella, 2020. "Voluntary Reserve Targets," Journal of Money, Credit and Banking, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 52(2-3), pages 583-612, March.
    4. Tomura, Hajime, 2018. "Payment instruments and collateral in the interbank payment system," Journal of Economic Theory, Elsevier, vol. 178(C), pages 82-104.
    5. Todd Keister & Antoine Martin & James J. McAndrews, 2015. "Floor systems and the Friedman rule: the fiscal arithmetic of open market operations," Staff Reports 754, Federal Reserve Bank of New York.
    6. Romina Ruprecht, 2020. "Negative interest rates, capital flows and exchange rates," ECON - Working Papers 351, Department of Economics - University of Zurich.
    7. Madison, Florian, 2019. "Frictional asset reallocation under adverse selection," Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, Elsevier, vol. 100(C), pages 115-130.
    8. Jonathan Chiu & Jens Eisenschmidt & Cyril Monnet, 2020. "Relationships in the Interbank Market," Review of Economic Dynamics, Elsevier for the Society for Economic Dynamics, vol. 35, pages 170-191, January.
    9. Fuhrer, Lucas Marc, 2018. "Liquidity in the repo market," Journal of International Money and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 84(C), pages 1-22.
    10. Matsuoka, Tarishi, 2022. "Asset prices and standing facilities in a monetary economy," Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, Elsevier, vol. 135(C).
    11. Aleksander Berentsen & Fabian Schär, 2018. "The Case for Central Bank Electronic Money and the Non-case for Central Bank Cryptocurrencies," Review, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, vol. 100(2), pages 97-106.
    12. Berentsen, Aleksander & Kraenzlin, Sébastien & Müller, Benjamin, 2018. "Exit strategies for monetary policy," Journal of Monetary Economics, Elsevier, vol. 99(C), pages 20-40.
    13. Aleksander Berentsen & Romina Ruprecht & Hugo van Buggenum, 2023. "On the Negatives of Negative Interest Rates," Finance and Economics Discussion Series 2023-064, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (U.S.).
    14. Jonathan Chiu & Jens Eisenschmidt & Cyril Monnet, 2020. "Relationships in the Interbank Market," Review of Economic Dynamics, Elsevier for the Society for Economic Dynamics, vol. 35, pages 170-191, January.
    15. Lukas Altermatt, 2019. "Bank lending, financial frictions, and inside money creation," ECON - Working Papers 325, Department of Economics - University of Zurich.
    16. Enchuan Shao & Kwabena Bediako, 2020. "The Impact Of Return On Collateral In A Channel System," Economic Inquiry, Western Economic Association International, vol. 58(3), pages 1314-1341, July.
    17. Jonathan Chiu & Jens Eisenschmidt & Cyril Monnet, 2020. "Relationships in the Interbank Market," Review of Economic Dynamics, Elsevier for the Society for Economic Dynamics, vol. 35, pages 170-191, January.
    18. Hu, Tai-Wei, 2021. "Optimal monetary policy with interest on reserves and capital over-accumulation," Journal of Economic Theory, Elsevier, vol. 196(C).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Monetary policy; floor system; channel system; standing facilities;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • 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
    • E59 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Monetary Policy, Central Banking, and the Supply of Money and Credit - - - Other

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