Europe’s financial landscape has substantial institutional variety. This reflects different societal responses to (or preferences with regard to) trade-offs. For monetary policy, it implies a challenging environment, particularly in times of financial crises. Using a non-linear VAR-model we...

We show that taking into account the optimal response of agents subject to financial frictions reproduces two empirical facts on the response to interest rate shocks: the decrease in the stock of money on impact and the gradual decrease in the real stock of money. Financial frictions are...

We argue that the present crisis and stalling economy continuing since 2007 have clear origins, namely in the delusionary belief in the merits of policies based on a “perpetual money machine” type of thinking. Indeed, we document strong evidence that, since the early 1980s, consumption has...

This paper begins by defining, and distinguishing between, money and finance, and addresses alternative ways of financing spending. We next examine the role played by financial institutions (e.g., banks) in the provision of finance. The role of government as both regulator of private...

This paper begins by defining, and distinguishing between, money and finance, and addresses alternative ways of financing spending. We next examine the role played by financial institutions (e.g., banks) in the provision of finance. The role of government as both regulator of private...

To better understand liquidity traps, we explicitly model open market operations and standing facilities. With financial frictions, the model is consistent with the observed liquidity traps, and the zero nominal interest rate is the worst steady-state policy. We characterize dynamic exit...

This paper addresses the question of whether and how long-term financial trends may have modified the transmission mechanism from monetary policy decisions to economic activity. The focus is on longterm changes, abstracting from the disruptions created by the 2007-08 financial turmoil which are...

We propose a monetary model with endogenous credit market participation to study the impact of financial inclusion on inequality and welfare. We find that consumption inequality results from differences in agents' decision to access financial services. This heterogeneity generates a pecuniary...

Economists often say that certain types of assets, e.g., Treasury bonds, are very "liquid". Do they mean that these assets are likely to serve as media of exchange or collateral (a definition of liquidity often employed in monetary theory), or that they can be easily sold in a secondary market,...

We propose a monetary dynamic general equilibrium model with endogenous credit market participation to study the impact of financial inclusion on welfare and inequality. We find that significant consumption inequality can result from limited access to basic financial services. In this...