Monetary Policy in a Financial Crisis

Lawrence Christiano, Christopher Gust and Jorge Roldos

No 9005, NBER Working Papers from National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc

Abstract: What are the economic effects of an interest rate cut when an economy is in the midst of a financial crisis? Under what conditions will a cut stimulate output and employment, and raise welfare? Under what conditions will a cut have the opposite e ffects? We answer these questions in a general class of open economy models, where a financial crisis is modeled as a time when collateral constraints are suddenly binding. We find that when there are frictions in adjusting the level of output in the traded good sector and in adjusting the rate at which that output can be used in other parts of the economy, then a cut in the interest rate is most likely to result in a welfare-reducing fall in output and employment. When these frictions are absent, a cut in the interest rate improves asset positions and promotes a welfare-increasing economic expansion.

JEL-codes: E5 F3 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2002-06
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-fin, nep-ifn, nep-lam and nep-mon
Note: EFG ME
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (48)

Published as Christiano, Lawrence J., Christopher Gust and Jorge Roldos. "Monetary Policy In A Financial Crisis," Journal of Economic Theory, 2004, v119(1,Nov), 64-103.

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Journal Article: Monetary policy in a financial crisis (2004)
Working Paper: Monetary policy in a financial crisis (2002)
Working Paper: Monetary policy in a financial crisis (2002)
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