Financial Innovations and Monetary Policy in Kenya

Esman Nyamongo and Lydia Ndirangu2 Ndirangu

MPRA Paper from University Library of Munich, Germany

Abstract: The objective of this study is to analyze the effects of financial innovation in the banking sector on the conduct of monetary policy in Kenya during 1998-2012. The country has witnessed a number of financial innovations during this period. The study focuses on whether these wave of financial innovations have impacted on the transmission mechanism of monetary policy, and if so how. The results show that the innovations have improved the monetary policy environment in Kenya as the proportion of the unbanked population has declined coupled with gradual reduction in currency outside banks. However, the period post 2007 when the country has experienced the fastest pace of financial innovation, is associated with instability in the money multiplier, income velocity of money and the money demand. However, recent trends point towards stabilization pointing to the need for further examination establish whether indeed the break in trend is of structural or transitory in nature. A structural break raises questions on the credibility of the current monetary targeting framework in use in Kenya, in view of which a more flexible framework should be adopted. Overall, the results show that financial innovation has had positive outcomes and seems to improve the interestrate channel of monetary policy transmission.

Keywords: Monetary policy; excess liquidity; Kenya; financial innovation (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: E00 E02 E5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2013-12
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-mac and nep-mon
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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