Finance and Economics Discussion Series (FEDS)

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February 2020

Forward-Looking Monetary Policy and the Transmission of Conventional Monetary Policy Shocks

Chunya Bu, John Rogers, and Wenbin Wu

Abstract:

Standard structural VAR models and estimation using Romer and Romer (2004) monetary policy shocks show that, in samples after the 1980s, a contractionary conventional monetary policy shock generates smaller and sometimes perversely-signed impulse responses compared to earlier samples. Using insights from the central bank information effects literature, we show that the analyses producing these results suffer from an omitted variables problem related to forward-looking information emanating from Federal Reserve forecasts. Transmission of conventional monetary policy shocks takes on the standard signs, and is typically significant, once Fed forward-looking information is taken into account. This reconciliation does not follow from adding private sector forecasts to the estimation frameworks.

Accessible version (.zip)

DOI: https://doi.org/10.17016/FEDS.2020.014

PDF: Full Paper

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Last Update: August 18, 2020