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Quantitative Easing and the Supply of Safe Assets: Evidence from International Bond Safety Premia

Author

Listed:
  • Christensen, Jens H. E.

    (Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco)

  • Mirkov, Nikola

    (Belgrade Banking Academy)

  • Zhang, Xin

    (Research Department, Central Bank of Sweden)

Abstract

Through large-scale asset purchases, widely known as quantitative easing (QE), central banks around the world have affected the supply of safe assets by buying quasi-safe bonds in exchange for truly safe reserves. We examine the pricing effects of the European Central Bank’s bond purchases in the 2015-2021 period on an international panel of bond safety premia from four highly rated countries: Denmark, Germany, Sweden, and Switzerland. We find statistically significant negative effects for all four countries. This points to an important international spillover channel of QE programs to bond safety premia that operates by increasing the amount of truly safe assets.

Suggested Citation

  • Christensen, Jens H. E. & Mirkov, Nikola & Zhang, Xin, 2024. "Quantitative Easing and the Supply of Safe Assets: Evidence from International Bond Safety Premia," Working Paper Series 440, Sveriges Riksbank (Central Bank of Sweden).
    • Handle: RePEc:hhs:rbnkwp:0440
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    term structure modeling; convenience yields; unconventional monetary policy; European Central Bank;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • E43 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Money and Interest Rates - - - Interest Rates: Determination, Term Structure, and Effects
    • E47 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Money and Interest Rates - - - Forecasting and Simulation: Models and Applications
    • F42 - International Economics - - Macroeconomic Aspects of International Trade and Finance - - - International Policy Coordination and Transmission
    • G12 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - Asset Pricing; Trading Volume; Bond Interest Rates
    • G13 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - Contingent Pricing; Futures Pricing

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