This paper analyses the impact of monetary shocks on bank lending in Germany. We follow a cross-sectoral approach by looking at six different banking groups. In general, smaller bankshold a larger buffer of liquid assets which they can use to offset monetary shocks. In addition, the response of...

Using area-wide data, we perform a VAR analysis to simulate the responses of inflation and real output following monetary shocks in the EMU. We find that short-term interest rate shocks have a significant impact on real activity, but hardly on prices. M3 shows a perverse short-term response to a...

In this paper the relationship between stock prices and house prices is analysed for six countries over the years 1976-2001. We find that both asset prices show a positive long-term relationship, which can partly be explained by common macro-economic factors such as credit, consumption and...

Using a multi-tier model of the housing market, we show that both starters and movers benefit from mortgage interest deduction for higher income groups. However, such tax favouring also tends to facilitate house price explosions, especially when interest rates and downpayment ratios are low....

Het Paper bevat een empirische analyse van de kredietvraag in Nederland, waarbij wordt onderzocht in hoeverre de kredietverlening asymmetrisch reageert op renteveranderingen. Er worden twee vormen van asymmetrie onderzocht: (1) verschillen tussen perioden van rentestijging en rentedaling, en (2)...

We analyse the possible impact of EMU enlargement on inflation rates in the ac-cession countries. We establish two main points: first, using a theoretical model we show that if large initial differences in price levels occur, even under very favourable circumstances the optimal path for price...

We analyse the optimal composition of a federal or supra-national committee. The representation of regional (national) entities in federal committees is typically motivated by their superior knowledge of local conditions. Using this argument, we formally model the optimal composition of a...

In this paper we investigate the implications of EMU enlargement from a political economy perspective. We argue that a high degree of convergence of the candidate countries prior to EMU accession is an important req-uisite. Otherwise, as a result of a sharp increase in economic dispersion,...

Central banks do not operate in a vacuum. In this paper we analyse the factors leading to external pressure or public support for European monetary policy. Moreover, based upon the findings for the Deutsche Bundesbank, some additional lessons are drawn for the ECB. External pressure on the ECB...

This paper considers the position of national central banks within the ESCB. The fundamental framework underlying the ESCB is that of a system of central banks in which component institutions are individually and collectively responsible for carrying out various tasks. Within this framework, we...