The behavior of the yield differential between government and nongovernment bonds in Italy between 1976 and 1988 is considered. The trend increase of the differential in this period was significantly influenced by the deterioration of public finances, as reflected both by an increase in the...

The stickiness of bank lending rates with respect to money market rates is often regarded as an obstacle to the smooth transmission of monetary policy impulses. Yet, no systematic measure of the different degree of lending rate stickiness across countries has been attempted. This paper provides...

The paper notes that the high degree of stickiness of bank lending rates observed in Italy in the past is related to constraints on competition within the banking and financial markets. Using individual data for 63 local Italian banks in a variety of financial environments, it discusses the...

In countries like the former Soviet Union, where wealth is mainly stored in monetary assets, the behavior of the money-income ratio is a poor indicator of the growth of undesired monetary balances (monetary overhang). In those countries a monetary overhang is primarily a wealth overhang, which...