Fiscal Policy under the Eyes of Wary Bondholders
Ruben Staffa, Gregor von Schweinitz
IWH Discussion Papers,
Nr. 26,
2023
Abstract
This paper studies the interaction between fiscal policy and bondholders against the backdrop of high sovereign debt levels. For our analysis, we investigate the case of Italy, a country that has dealt with high public debt levels for a long time, using a Bayesian structural VAR model. We extend a canonical three variable macro mode to include a bond market, consisting of a fiscal rule and a bond demand schedule for long-term government bonds. To identify the model in the presence of political uncertainty and forward-looking investors, we derive an external instrument for bond demand shocks from a novel news ticker data set. Our main results are threefold. First, the interaction between fiscal policy and bondholders’ expectations is critical for the evolution of prices. Fiscal policy reinforces contractionary monetary policy through sustained increases in primary surpluses and investors provide incentives for “passive” fiscal policy. Second, investors’ expectations matter for inflation, and we document a Fisherian response of inflation across all maturities in response to a bond demand shock. Third, domestic politics is critical in the determination of bondholders’ expectations and an increase in the perceived riskiness of sovereign debt increases inflation and thus complicates the task of controlling price growth.
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Forschungscluster
Drei Forschungscluster Forschungscluster "Wirtschaftliche Dynamik und Stabilität" Forschungsfragen Im Mittelpunkt der Forschung dieses Clusters steht die empirische Analyse von…
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AIECE General Report, Part 2, Spring 2023
Andrej Drygalla, Axel Lindner, Birgit Schultz
IWH Studies,
Nr. 4,
2023
Abstract
The Halle Institute for Economic Research (IWH) is a member of AIECE (Association d'Instituts Europeens de Conjoncture Economique/Association of European Conjuncture Institutes), an association of independent European institutes involved in surveying economic conditions and developments, and in short-term macroeconomic forecasting. The main objective of the Association is to stimulate the exchanges between its members with a view to improve their insight into international economic developments. This ranges from the exchange of statistical or institutional information to discussions on economic policy Guidelines to common research activities. The AIECE organises between its members an exchange of view, of information and of literature on international economic developments, in particular in Europe. The Association provides the framework for joint activities of its members in areas of common interest. Its structure allows its members to develop common views on the future cyclical development. In order to meet these objectives the Association has half-yearly plenary meetings, centred around a general report on the European conjuncture prepared in turn by one of the members in cooperation with the other member institutes, but also with discussions of the working group reports and of special surveys prepared by member institutes. In Spring 2023, the report was written by the Halle Institute for Economic Research (IWH).
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AIECE General Report, Part 1, Spring 2023
Andrej Drygalla, Axel Lindner, Birgit Schultz
IWH Studies,
Nr. 3,
2023
Abstract
The Halle Institute for Economic Research (IWH) is a member of AIECE (Association d'Instituts Europeens de Conjoncture Economique/Association of European Conjuncture Institutes), an association of independent European institutes involved in surveying economic conditions and developments, and in short-term macroeconomic forecasting. The main objective of the Association is to stimulate the exchanges between its members with a view to improve their insight into international economic developments. This ranges from the exchange of statistical or institutional information to discussions on economic policy Guidelines to common research activities. The AIECE organises between its members an exchange of view, of information and of literature on international economic developments, in particular in Europe. The Association provides the framework for joint activities of its members in areas of common interest. Its structure allows its members to develop common views on the future cyclical development. In order to meet these objectives the Association has half-yearly plenary meetings, centred around a general report on the European conjuncture prepared in turn by one of the members in cooperation with the other member institutes, but also with discussions of the working group reports and of special surveys prepared by member institutes. In Spring 2023, the report was written by the Halle Institute for Economic Research (IWH).
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Ricardian Equivalence, Foreign Debt and Sovereign Default Risk
Stefan Eichler, Ju Hyun Pyun
Journal of Economic Behavior and Organization,
May
2022
Abstract
We study the impact of sovereign solvency on the private-public savings offset. Using data on 80 economies for 1989–2018, we find robust evidence for a U-shaped pattern in the private-public savings offset in sovereign credit ratings. While the 1:1 savings offset is observed at intermediate levels of sovereign solvency, fiscal deficits are not offset by private savings at extremely low and high levels of sovereign solvency. Particularly, the U-shaped pattern is more pronounced for countries with high levels of foreign ownership of government debt. The U-shaped pattern is an emerging market phenomenon; additionally, it is confirmed when considering foreign currency rating and external public debt, but not for domestic currency rating and domestic public debt. For considerable foreign ownership of sovereign bonds, sovereign default constitutes a net wealth gain for domestic consumers.
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25.01.2021 • 2/2021
Hohes öffentliches Defizit nicht nur wegen Corona – Mittelfristige Handlungsmöglichkeiten für den Staat
Nach der Mittelfristprojektion des Leibniz-Instituts für Wirtschaftsforschung Halle (IWH) wird das Bruttoinlandsprodukt in Deutschland zwischen den Jahren 2020 und 2025 langsamer wachsen als zuvor, nicht nur aufgrund der Pandemie-Krise, sondern auch, weil die Erwerbsbevölkerung zurückgehen wird. Die im Fall unveränderter gesetzlicher Rahmenbedingungen resultierenden strukturellen öffentlichen Defizite dürften höher sein, als es die Schuldenbremse erlaubt. Die Konsolidierung würde, vor allem wenn sie durch Steuererhöhungen erfolgt, kurzfristig mit spürbaren wirtschaftlichen Einbußen einhergehen. „Es spricht viel dafür, die Schuldenbremse zwar nicht abzuschaffen, aber ein Stück weit zu lockern“, sagt Oliver Holtemöller, Leiter der Abteilung Makroökonomik und Vizepräsident des IWH.
Oliver Holtemöller
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Fiscal Stimulus and Consumer Debt
Yuliya Demyanyk, Elena Loutskina, Daniel Murphy
Review of Economics and Statistics,
Nr. 4,
2019
Abstract
In the aftermath of the consumer debt–induced recession, policymakers have questioned whether fiscal stimulus is effective during periods of high consumer indebtedness. This study empirically investigates this question. Using detailed data on Department of Defense spending for the 2007–2009 period, we document that the open-economy relative fiscal multiplier is higher in geographies with higher consumer debt. The results suggest that in the short term (2007–2009), fiscal policy can mitigate the adverse effect of consumer (over)leverage on real economic output during a recession. We then exploit detailed microdata to show that both heterogeneous marginal propensities to consume and slack-driven economic mechanisms contribute to the debt-dependent multiplier.
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04.04.2019 • 9/2019
Gemeinschaftsdiagnose Frühjahr 2019: Konjunktur deutlich abgekühlt
Berlin, 4. April – Die führenden deutschen Wirtschaftsforschungsinstitute haben ihre Prognose für das Wirtschaftswachstum im Jahr 2019 deutlich gesenkt. Für Deutschland erwarten sie eine Zunahme des Bruttoinlandsprodukts um 0,8%. Das ist mehr als ein Prozentpunkt weniger als im Herbst 2018, als man noch mit 1,9% rechnete. Hingegen bestätigen die Institute ihre vorherige Prognose für das Jahr 2020: Das Bruttoinlandsprodukt dürfte dann um 1,8% zunehmen. Das geht aus dem Frühjahrsgutachten der Gemeinschaftsdiagnose hervor, das am Donnerstag in Berlin vorgestellt wird.
Oliver Holtemöller
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Should We Use Linearized Models To Calculate Fiscal Multipliers?
Jesper Lindé, Mathias Trabandt
Journal of Applied Econometrics,
Nr. 7,
2018
Abstract
We calculate the magnitude of the government consumption multiplier in linearized and nonlinear solutions of a New Keynesian model at the zero lower bound. Importantly, the model is amended with real rigidities to simultaneously account for the macroeconomic evidence of a low Phillips curve slope and the microeconomic evidence of frequent price changes. We show that the nonlinear solution is associated with a much smaller multiplier than the linearized solution in long‐lived liquidity traps, and pin down the key features in the model which account for the difference. Our results caution against the common practice of using linearized models to calculate fiscal multipliers in long‐lived liquidity traps.
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Trumps Bilanz nach sechs Monaten
Reint E. Gropp
Wirtschaft im Wandel,
Nr. 2,
2017
Abstract
Nach einem halben Jahr im Amt hat die Unsicherheit über Donald Trumps wirtschaftspolitisches Programm ein wenig abgenommen. Bei seiner Wahl hatte ich an dieser Stelle noch argumentiert, das wirtschaftspolitische Programm des künftigen Präsidenten sei „schemenhaft und widersprüchlich.“ Der Protektionismus und die expansive Fiskalpolitik würden gegeneinander wirken, das erstere tendenziell das Wirtschaftswachstum verlangsamen, das zweite es (zumindest kurzfristig) erhöhen. Nach sechs Monaten kann man sagen: Keins von beidem ist tatsächlich so eingetreten wie befürchtet/erwartet.
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