Starting on December 18, 2008 the Federal Reserve began paying 25 basis points (bps) on the reserves of depository institutions. Theory argues that the rate paid on reserves establishes a floor for the federal funds market. Nonetheless, the effective federal funds rate has stayed well below this...

Starting on December 18, 2008 the Federal Reserve began paying 25 basis points (bps) on the reserves of depository institutions. Theory argues that the rate paid on reserves establishes a floor for the federal funds market. Nonetheless, the effective federal funds rate has stayed well below this...

Financial economists view reserve requirements as being important to financial markets. But, they have not always agreed on how reserve requirements impact financial markets. Conventional thinking would suggest that higher reserve requirements will result in lower rates paid on deposits, either...