Economic policy when interest rates are zero. This Project studies economic policy when interest rates are zero. Low interest rate environments constrain monetary policy because central banks cannot lower rates to raise demand. We exploit recent international experience with zero rates to understand why new policies have had mixed success. We argue different outcomes across countries arise because of different degrees of credibility and familiarity with new policy initiatives. We provide empiric ....Economic policy when interest rates are zero. This Project studies economic policy when interest rates are zero. Low interest rate environments constrain monetary policy because central banks cannot lower rates to raise demand. We exploit recent international experience with zero rates to understand why new policies have had mixed success. We argue different outcomes across countries arise because of different degrees of credibility and familiarity with new policy initiatives. We provide empirical support for this view and study the consequences of imperfectly credible policy. We characterize how monetary policy (conventional and unconventional) and fiscal policy can be used to greatest effect in low interest rate environments and quantify the welfare implications for Australia. Read moreRead less
Time-consistent macroeconomic policy in nonlinear models. Efforts to use fiscal policy for macro-stabilisation have led to elevated debt levels and possible default in many countries. This project examines the appropriate design of fiscal policy and its implications for debt over the business cycle.
Monetary and Fiscal Policy under Imperfect Knowledge. This project lays out an agenda exploring the consequences of imperfect knowledge for macroeconomic dynamics and stabilisation policy. Learning dynamics are central to understanding aggregate fluctuations in periods during which agents have limited information about their environment, as has been the case during and after the Global Financial Crisis. The agenda comprises two lines of inquiry. The first develops theoretical issues relating to ....Monetary and Fiscal Policy under Imperfect Knowledge. This project lays out an agenda exploring the consequences of imperfect knowledge for macroeconomic dynamics and stabilisation policy. Learning dynamics are central to understanding aggregate fluctuations in periods during which agents have limited information about their environment, as has been the case during and after the Global Financial Crisis. The agenda comprises two lines of inquiry. The first develops theoretical issues relating to the design and implementation of monetary and fiscal policy under imperfect knowledge. The second adduces empirical evidence on the classes of possible beliefs that any macroeconomic model should account for.Read moreRead less
Monetary-fiscal policy interactions and their effect on economic performance: new theory, empirics, and an application to Australia. Both fiscal and monetary policy are powerful tools that affect the wellbeing of individuals. Even if current policies are 'responsible', the social cost of uncertainty about the future is extremely high - to which the 2004 'high interest rates under Labour' election campaign or current heated fiscal debates in the US and EU testify. Our analysis will contribute to ....Monetary-fiscal policy interactions and their effect on economic performance: new theory, empirics, and an application to Australia. Both fiscal and monetary policy are powerful tools that affect the wellbeing of individuals. Even if current policies are 'responsible', the social cost of uncertainty about the future is extremely high - to which the 2004 'high interest rates under Labour' election campaign or current heated fiscal debates in the US and EU testify. Our analysis will contribute to the reduction of the social cost by identifying the institutional setting that is robust to 'bad' policymakers, i.e. one in which socially optimal policies are 'institutionalized' (legislated) rather than resting with individuals. Such arrangements are further likely to stimulate investment and economic growth.Read moreRead less
International linkages between financial and real economy cycles. This project will develop empirical multivariate models of business cycles for different countries, and will study how they are linked via international financial markets. The significance of the project is that the models will integrate previous work done on financial-real economy links in single country settings, and it will explicitly study the effects of disequilibrium in international financial markets (such as overvaluation ....International linkages between financial and real economy cycles. This project will develop empirical multivariate models of business cycles for different countries, and will study how they are linked via international financial markets. The significance of the project is that the models will integrate previous work done on financial-real economy links in single country settings, and it will explicitly study the effects of disequilibrium in international financial markets (such as overvaluation of foreign currency) on individual economies. The project will determine the appropriate domestic monetary policy response to such shocks, and the potential for forecasting both the advent of such shocks and their impact on individual economies.Read moreRead less
Optimal policy in the global liquidity trap. The recent global financial crisis has led most central banks in developed economies to reduce their policy interest rates to unprecedentedly low levels. As a result, the liquidity trap has now become a serious concern internationally. This project will derive the optimal monetary and fiscal policy in the global liquidity trap. It will also show how a shock in one country affects other countries and propose tools for improving the empirical fit of the ....Optimal policy in the global liquidity trap. The recent global financial crisis has led most central banks in developed economies to reduce their policy interest rates to unprecedentedly low levels. As a result, the liquidity trap has now become a serious concern internationally. This project will derive the optimal monetary and fiscal policy in the global liquidity trap. It will also show how a shock in one country affects other countries and propose tools for improving the empirical fit of the models in a liquidity trap. This project will become the foundation for the discussion of policy options in the global liquidity trap.Read moreRead less
Estimating and evaluating the predictive accuracy of structural macroeconomic models. This project will provide improved methods to inform Australia's macroeconomic policies and its strategies for economic development by suggesting the most adequate structural macroeconomic model for the Australian economy. Effective macroeconomic policies, in turn, assure stable economic development, smoothes effects of economic cycles and balances inflation, unemployment, the exchange rate and other macroecono ....Estimating and evaluating the predictive accuracy of structural macroeconomic models. This project will provide improved methods to inform Australia's macroeconomic policies and its strategies for economic development by suggesting the most adequate structural macroeconomic model for the Australian economy. Effective macroeconomic policies, in turn, assure stable economic development, smoothes effects of economic cycles and balances inflation, unemployment, the exchange rate and other macroeconomic indicators. All these indicators are closely linked to the welfare of the Australian people and prosperity of the Australian economy. The importance of an accurate macroeconomic analysis is increased in the current condition of inflationary pressures, fiscal challenges, climate change, and world market instabilities.Read moreRead less
Inventories and the Business Cycle in Australia and the U.S. The project looks at the contribution that inventories make to business cycles in Australia and the U.S. It uses recent research by the chief investigator on measuring business cycles in order to explain how the presence of inventories in an economic system might influence activity in that system. It then adapts an existing model in the literature to quantify the role of inventories in the Australian and U.S business cycles.. It seeks ....Inventories and the Business Cycle in Australia and the U.S. The project looks at the contribution that inventories make to business cycles in Australia and the U.S. It uses recent research by the chief investigator on measuring business cycles in order to explain how the presence of inventories in an economic system might influence activity in that system. It then adapts an existing model in the literature to quantify the role of inventories in the Australian and U.S business cycles.. It seeks to answer a number of questions that have arisen in recent years over whether the business cycle is becoming longer owing to improved methods of inventory controlRead moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE150100708
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$352,000.00
Summary
Understanding the Linkage of Public and Private Risk in the Global Economy. This project aims to develop a richly detailed model of the global financial system including both public and private institutions. By treating the system as a network of interconnected entities, this project aims to introduce new techniques to map and to trace the evolution of risk in the financial system, to forecast the spillover of risk between entities in the system, and to conduct counterfactual analysis of potenti ....Understanding the Linkage of Public and Private Risk in the Global Economy. This project aims to develop a richly detailed model of the global financial system including both public and private institutions. By treating the system as a network of interconnected entities, this project aims to introduce new techniques to map and to trace the evolution of risk in the financial system, to forecast the spillover of risk between entities in the system, and to conduct counterfactual analysis of potential policy measures. This project will investigate the link between spillover intensity and the existing research on extreme events in financial data. By studying how the recent crisis spread through the global financial system, this project aims to enhance our ability to foresee future crises and to mitigate their impact and costs.Read moreRead less
Distorted Beliefs and Asset Price Disconnect Puzzles. Asset price booms and busts have broad ranging implications for households. Despite this, models used for policy analysis struggle to explain asset prices and their implications for the macroeconomy. This project will deliver frontier macro-finance research to inform academics and policymakers on how to model asset price booms and busts, to explain why equity and house price falls appear to have small versus large effects, and how to design e ....Distorted Beliefs and Asset Price Disconnect Puzzles. Asset price booms and busts have broad ranging implications for households. Despite this, models used for policy analysis struggle to explain asset prices and their implications for the macroeconomy. This project will deliver frontier macro-finance research to inform academics and policymakers on how to model asset price booms and busts, to explain why equity and house price falls appear to have small versus large effects, and how to design effective policy responses. Led by internationally recognized experts in macroeconomics, this research proposal is perfectly positioned to deliver scientific peer-reviewed research and embed outcomes through evidenced partnerships with the Reserve Bank of Australia and the Federal Department of Treasury.Read moreRead less