The recent global financial crisis has led central banks to rely heavily on "unconventional" monetary policies. This alternative approach to policy has generated much discussion and a heated and at times confusing debate. The debate has been complicated by the use of different definitions and...

Despite constituting the very heart of the monetary transmission mechanism, widespreadmisconceptions still exist regarding how monetary policy is implemented. This paperhighlights the key misconceptions in this regard and shows how they have compromised theunderstanding of important aspects of...

Do the prevailing unusually and persistently low real interest rates reflect a decline in the natural rate of interest as commonly thought? We argue that this is only part of the story. The critical role of financial factors in influencing medium-term economic fluctuations must also be taken...

Prevailing explanations of the decline in real interest rates since the early 1980s are premised on the notion that real interest rates are driven by variations in desired saving and investment. But based on data stretching back to 1870 for 19 countries, our systematic analysis casts doubt on...

In this study, a computable general equilibrium model is developed and is used as a tool for measuring and analysing structural changes in the Thai economy. The technique of historical simulation is used to trace the patterns of structural changes during 1990 to 1995. These patterns of...

Dramatic declines in inflation rates across Asia and falling prices in some countries have recently heightened fears of deflation. This paper aims to shed light on this issue by reviewing the cross-country evidence in Asia and highlighting key observations about recent price developments in the...

This paper first documents the recent changing landscape of Thailand's financial sector, noting in particular the decline in bank credit intensity of production. It discusses the reasons behind the observed trend of bank disintermediation and analyzes whether these factors are likely to persist...