Given the importance of bank credit in Belgium as a financing source for both households and non-financial firms, it is important to know how Belgian banks react to a monetary policy shock. Since the direct influence of central banks is confined to the very short-term market interest rates,...

This paper investigates the effects of monetary policy on firms' 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...

Using panel data for 2,329 Belgian firms observed between 1985 and 1999, this paper aims at getting a better understanding of Belgian firms' investment behavior. Two main and interrelated topics are investigated: the link between financial structure and investment decision, on the one hand, the...

This paper analyses the path of private consumption and its main macroeconomic determinants. These are related to the life-cycle approach which helps explaining consumption smoothing. In that respect, it is important to go beyond the simple correlation between current disposable income and...