Does the Liquidity Trap Exist?
40 Pages Posted: 12 May 2020
There are 2 versions of this paper
Does the Liquidity Trap Exist?
Date Written: April 1, 2020
Abstract
The liquidity trap is synonymous with ineffective monetary policy. The common wisdom is that, as the short-term interest rate nears its effective lower bound, monetary policy cannot do much to stimulate the economy. However, central banks have resorted to alternative instruments, such as QE, credit easing and forward guidance. Using state-of-the-art estimates of the effects of monetary policy, we show that monetary easing stimulates output and inflation, also during the period when short-term interest rates are near their lower bound. These results are consistent across the United States, the euro area and Japan.
Keywords: Liquidity Trap, Effective Lower Bound, Monetary Transmission
JEL Classification: E44, E52
Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation