Money and credit dynamics in the euro area and a comparison with the United States

The increase in policy rates has translated into higher interest rates on deposits in both the euro area and the United States, albeit more so in the euro area despite a smaller increase in the policy rate and a lower starting point. As in previous hiking cycles, the increase in remuneration has been considerably smaller for overnight deposits than for other assets, triggering a rebalancing of money holders’ portfolios in both economies. As policy rates increased, credit to firms and households fell more sharply in the euro area than in the United States. The pass-through to lending rates was rather similar. Yet, the greater prevalence of fixed rate mortgages in the United States entailed a slower transmission to rates on existing mortgages. The developments in deposits and loans were mirrored in broad money growth, with high US deposit volumes reflecting the much larger pandemic-related asset purchases by the Fed, and with the moderation in lending volumes having been the main driver of the weakening in monetary dynamics in the euro area, whereas in the US, other sources were the initial drivers, with bank lending only contributing later. JEL Classification: E40, E41, E43, E44, E51, E52, E58, G11