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Europe > Ireland

You are looking at 1 - 10 of 15 items for :

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Cover IMF Working Papers
The Diagnostic Financial Accelerator
Lahcen Bounader
and
Selim A Elekdag
We develop a model with diagnostic expectations (DE) and a financial accelerator (FA) that generates mutually reinforcing shock amplification, especially in the case of demand shocks. However, supply shocks can be dampened via a debt deflation channel, which is strengthened amid DE. Importantly, the model results in a worsening of the inflation-output volatility trade-off confronting policymakers. In contrast to most of the literature—which argues against targeting the level of asset prices—our financial accelerator model with DE suggests that targeting house price growth may result in welfare gains.
Keywords:
Financial Accelerator; Diagnostic Expectations; Optimal monetary policy; Instrument rules; debt deflation channel; inflation-output volatility trade-off; house price growth; inflation trade-off; model dynamics; Inflation; Asset prices; Housing prices; Consumption; Business cycles; Global
Cover IMF Working Papers
The Impact of r-g on the Euro-Area Government Spending Multiplier
Mario di Serio
,
Matteo Fragetta
, and
Mr. Giovanni Melina
We compute government spending multipliers for the Euro Area (EA) contingent on the interestgrowth differential, the so-called r-g. Whether the fiscal shock occurs when r-g is positive or negative matters for the size of the multiplier. Median estimates vary conditional on the specification, but the difference between multipliers in the negative and positive r-g regimes differs systematically from zero with very high probability. Over the medium run (5 years), median cumulated multipliers range between 1.22 and 1.77 when r-g is negative, and between 0.51 and 1.26 when r-g is positive. We show that the results are not driven by the state of the business cycle, the monetary policy stance, or the level of government debt, and that the multiplier is inversely correlated with r-g. The calculations are based on the estimates of a factor-augmented interacted panel vector-autoregressive model. The econometric approach deals with several technical problems highlighted in the empirical macroeconomic literature, including the issues of fiscal foresight and limited information.
Keywords:
Fiscal multiplier; Panel VAR; Factor models; Euro Area; r-g.; WP; government spending multiplier; potential GDP; cumulated multiplier; EA country; government debt
Cover IMF Working Papers
What Do We Talk About When We Talk About Output Gaps?
Jelle Barkema
,
Tryggvi Gudmundsson
, and
Mr. Mico Mrkaic
Estimates of output gaps continue to play a key role in assessments of the stance of business cycles. This paper uses three approaches to examine the historical record of output gap measurements and their use in surveillance within the IMF. Firstly, the historical record of global output gap estimates shows a firm negative skew, in line with previous regional studies, as well as frequent historical revisions to output gap estimates. Secondly, when looking at the co-movement of output gap estimates and realized measures of slack, a positive, but limited, association is found between the two. Thirdly, text analysis techniques are deployed to assess how estimates of output gaps are used in Fund surveillance. The results reveal no strong bearing of output gap estimates on the coverage of the concept or direction of policy advice. The results suggest the need for continued caution in relying on output gaps for real-time policymaking and policy assessment.
Keywords:
Output gaps; monetary policy; fiscal policy; WP; output gap estimate; delta real-time output gap; output gap uncertainty; output gaps discussion; output gap coverage; output gap measurement error; overestimated output gap; business cycles; underestimated output gap; Output gap; Potential output; Inflation; Current account balance; Global
Cover IMF Working Papers
The Euro-Area Government Spending Multiplier at the Effective Lower Bound
Adalgiso Amendola
,
Mario di Serio
,
Matteo Fragetta
, and
Mr. Giovanni Melina
We build a factor-augmented interacted panel vector-autoregressive model of the Euro Area (EA) and estimate it with Bayesian methods to compute government spending multipliers. The multipliers are contingent on the overall monetary policy stance, captured by a shadow monetary policy rate. In the short run (one year), whether the fiscal shock occurs when the economy is at the effective lower bound (ELB) or in normal times does not seem to matter for the size of the multiplier. However, as the time horizon increases, multipliers diverge across the two regimes. In the medium run (three years), the average multiplier is about 1 in normal times and between 1.6 and 2.8 at the ELB, depending on the specification. The difference between the two multipliers is distributed largely away from zero. More generally, the multiplier is inversely correlated with the level of the shadow monetary policy rate. In addition, we verify that EA data lend support to the view that the multiplier is larger in periods of economic slack, and we show that the shadow rate and the state of the business cycle are autonomously correlated with its size. The econometric approach deals with several technical problems highlighted in the empirical macroeconomic literature, including the issues of fiscal foresight and limited information.
Keywords:
WP; government spending multiplier; shadow rate; Fiscal multiplier; Zero lower bound; Panel VAR; Factor models; Euro Area; government spending shock; multiplier policymaker; cumulated multiplier; one-year multiplier; ELB regime; potential GDP; Interest rate floor; Business cycles; Central bank policy rate; Fiscal multipliers; Global
Cover IMF Working Papers
Conceptual Issues in Calibrating the Basel III Countercyclical Capital Buffer
Torsten Wezel
This paper discusses issues in calibrating the countercyclical capital buffer (CCB) based on a sample of EU countries. It argues that the main indicator for buffer decisions under the Basel III framework, the credit-to-GDP gap, does not always work best in terms of covering bank loan losses that go beyond what could be expected from economic downturns. Instead, in the case of countries with short financial cycles and/or low financial deepening such as transition and developing economies, the Basel gap is shown to work best when computed with a low, smoothing factor and adjusted for the degree of financial deepening. The paper also analyzes issues in calibrating an appropriate size of the CCB and, using a loss function approach, points to a tradeoff between stability of the buffer size and cost efficiency considerations.
Keywords:
WP; BCBS gap definition; Basel gap specification; BCBS buffer guide; Macroprudential Policy; Procyclicality; Basel III; credit-to-GDP gap; BCBS calibration; loan loss; credit-to-GDP ratio; Credit gaps; Financial cycles; Housing prices; Credit; Global; Central and Eastern Europe; Eastern Europe
Cover IMF Working Papers
Fiscal Stimulus Impact on Firms' Profitability During the Global Financial Crisis
Carolina Correa-Caro
,
Leandro Medina
,
Mr. Marcos Poplawski Ribeiro
, and
Mr. Bennett W Sutton
Using financial statement data from the Thomson Reuter’s Worldscope database for 22,333 non-financial firms in 52 advanced and emerging economies, this paper examines how fiscal stimulus (i.e., changes in structural deficit) interacted with sectoral business cycle sensitivity affected corporate profitability during the recovery period of the global financial crisis (GFC). Using cross-sectional analyses, our findings indicate that corporate profitability improved significantly after the GFC fiscal stimulus, especially in manufacturing, utilities and retail sectors. Firm size and leverage are also found to be significant in explaining changes in corporate profitability.
Keywords:
WP; market firm; potential GDP; firm indebtedness; government spending; total assets; Fiscal Stimulus; Global Financial Crisis; Worldscope; Firm Profitability; firm level; working capital; financial statement variable; firms' profitability; earnings before interest; taxes; depreciation; and amortization; firms sales; debt ratio; Central bank policy rate; Business cycles; Global
Cover IMF Working Papers
Economic Convergence in the Euro Area: Coming Together or Drifting Apart?
Mr. Jeffrey R. Franks
,
Ms. Bergljot B Barkbu
,
Mr. Rodolphe Blavy
,
William Oman
, and
Hanni Schoelermann
We examine economic convergence among euro area countries on multiple dimensions. While there was nominal convergence of inflation and interest rates, real convergence of per capita income levels has not occurred among the original euro area members since the advent of the common currency. Income convergence stagnated in the early years of the common currency and has reversed in the wake of the global economic crisis. New euro area members, in contrast, have seen real income convergence. Business cycles became more synchronized, but the amplitude of those cycles diverged. Financial cycles showed a similar pattern: sychronizing more over time, but with divergent amplitudes. Income convergence requires reforms boosting productivity growth in lagging countries, while cyclical and financial convergence can be enhanced by measures to improve national and euro area fiscal policies, together with steps to deepen the single market.
Keywords:
WP; euro; fiscal policy; business cycle; exchange rate; Convergence; business cycles; financial cycles; synchronization; Economic and Monetary Union; euro area; Optimum Currency Area; inflation differential; high-inflation country; euro introduction; area trade; area capital flow; area goods trade; common currency; current account; inflation convergence; euro area goods trade; intra-euro area goods trade; higher-inflation country; Personal income; Inflation; Monetary unions; Global
Cover IMF Working Papers
Job Protection Deregulation in Good and Bad Times
Mr. Romain A Duval
,
Davide Furceri
, and
João Tovar Jalles
This paper explores the short-term employment effect of deregulating job protection for regular workers and how it varies with prevailing business cycle conditions. We apply a local projection method to a newly constructed “narrative” dataset of major regular job protection reforms covering 26 advanced economies over the past four decades. The analysis relies on country-sector-level data, using as an identifying assumption the fact that stringent dismissal regulations are more binding in sectors that are characterized by a higher “natural” propensity to regularly adjust their workforce. We find that the responses of sectoral employment to large job protection deregulation shocks depend crucially on the state of the economy at the time of reform——they are positive in an expansion, but become negative in a recession. These findings are consistent with theory, and are robust to a broad range of robustness checks including an Instrumental Variable approach using political economy drivers of reforms as instruments. Our results provide a case for undertaking job protection reform in good times, or for designing it in ways that enhance its short-term impact.
Keywords:
WP; business cycle; EPL reform; differential employment effect; labour market; layoff rate; Structural Reforms; Labor Market; Deregulation; Employment Protection; Growth; Employment; severance pay; Business cycles; Labor market frictions; Southern Europe
Cover IMF Working Papers
Has Globalization Really Increased Business Cycle Synchronization?
Eric Monnet
and
Mr. Damien Puy
This paper assesses the strength of business cycle synchronization between 1950 and 2014 in a sample of 21 countries using a new quarterly dataset based on IMF archival data. Contrary to the common wisdom, we find that the globalization period is not associated with more output synchronization at the global level. The world business cycle was as strong during Bretton Woods (1950-1971) than during the Globalization period (1984-2006). Although globalization did not affect the average level of co-movement, trade and financial integration strongly affect the way countries co-move with the rest of the world. We find that financial integration de-synchronizes national outputs from the world cycle, although the magnitude of this effect depends crucially on the type of shocks hitting the world economy. This de-synchronizing effect has offset the synchronizing impact of other forces, such as increased trade integration.
Keywords:
WP; post-war period; International Business Cycles; Synchronization; Financial integration; Trade integration; Globalization; globalization period; Bretton Woods period; world business cycle; business cycle synchronization; movement pattern; Business cycles; Exchange rate arrangements; Global
Cover IMF Working Papers
Recognizing the Bias: Financial Cycles and Fiscal Policy
Mrs. Nina T Budina
,
Mr. Borja Gracia
,
Xingwei Hu
, and
Mr. Sergejs Saksonovs
This paper argues that asset price cycles have significant effects on fiscal outcomes. In particular, there is evidence of debt bias—the tendency of debt to increase over the cycle— that is significantly larger for house price cycles than stand-alone business cycles. Automatic stabilizers and discretionary fiscal policy generally respond to output fluctuations, whereas revenue increases due to house price booms are largely treated as permanent. Thus, neglecting the direct and indirect impact of asset prices on fiscal accounts encourages procyclical fiscal policies.
Keywords:
WP; debt; price; housing cycles; public debt; private debt; debt bias; bias estimate; state dummy; growth shock; growth episode; output gap downturn; cycle episode; house-price shock; house price episode; house price cycles result in a public sector debt bias; cycles result in a public sector debt bias; house price cycle episode; Housing prices; Financial cycles; Global