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Monetary Policy and Real Borrowing Costs at the Zero Lower Bound

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  • Gilchrist, Simon
  • López-Salido, J David
  • Zakrajsek, Egon

Abstract

This paper compares the effects of conventional monetary policy on real borrowing costs with those of the unconventional measures employed after the target federal funds rate hit the zero lower bound (ZLB). For the ZLB period, we identify two policy surprises: changes in the 2-year Treasury yield around policy announcements and changes in the 10-year Treasury yield that are orthogonal to those in the 2-year yield. The efficacy of unconventional policy in lowering real borrowing costs is comparable to that of conventional policy, in that it implies a complete pass-through of policy-induced movements in Treasury yields to comparable-maturity private yields.

Suggested Citation

  • Gilchrist, Simon & López-Salido, J David & Zakrajsek, Egon, 2014. "Monetary Policy and Real Borrowing Costs at the Zero Lower Bound," CEPR Discussion Papers 9971, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    • Handle: RePEc:cpr:ceprdp:9971
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Corporate bond yields; Forward guidance; Lspas; Mortgage interest rates; Term premia; Unconventional monetary policy;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • E43 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Money and Interest Rates - - - Interest Rates: Determination, Term Structure, and Effects
    • E52 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Monetary Policy, Central Banking, and the Supply of Money and Credit - - - Monetary Policy

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