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The Capitalization of Income Streams and the Effects of Open Market Policy under Fixed Exchange Rates

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  • Maurice Obstfeld

Abstract

This paper investigates the long- and short-run neutrality of open-market monetary policy in a world of fixed exchange rates and imperfect substitutability between bonds denominated in different currencies. Using an illustrative portfolio-balance model, it shows that when the public discounts the future tax liabilities associated with the national debt and the central bank supports the exchange rate by trading non-interest-bearing foreign assets, open-market policy has a short-run effect, but no long-run effect, on the domestic price level and interest rate. When the foreign-exchange intervention assets earn interest that is rebated to and capitalized by the public, open-market policy loses even its short-run efficacy -- the capital-account offset to monetary policy is complete.

Suggested Citation

  • Maurice Obstfeld, 1980. "The Capitalization of Income Streams and the Effects of Open Market Policy under Fixed Exchange Rates," NBER Working Papers 0528, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    • Handle: RePEc:nbr:nberwo:0528
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Barro, Robert J, 1974. "Are Government Bonds Net Wealth?," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 82(6), pages 1095-1117, Nov.-Dec..
    2. Frenkel, Jacob A & Rodriguez, Carlos Alfredo, 1975. "Portfolio Equilibrium and the Balance of Payments: A Monetary Approach," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 65(4), pages 674-688, September.
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    5. Russell S. Boyer, 1975. "Commodity Markets and Bond Markets in a Small, Fixed-Exchange-Rate Economy," Canadian Journal of Economics, Canadian Economics Association, vol. 8(1), pages 1-23, February.
    6. Girton, Lance & Henderson, Dale W., 1976. "Financial capital movements and central bank behavior in a two-country, short-run portfolio balance model," Journal of Monetary Economics, Elsevier, vol. 2(1), pages 33-61, January.
    7. Boyer, Russel S., 1979. "Sterilization and the monetary approach to balance of payments analysis," Journal of Monetary Economics, Elsevier, vol. 5(2), pages 295-300, April.
    8. Obstfeld, Maurice, 1980. "Imperfect asset substitutability and monetary policy under fixed exchange rates," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 10(2), pages 177-200, May.
    9. Henderson, Dale W, 1977. "Modeling the Interdependence of National Money and Capital Markets," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 67(1), pages 190-199, February.
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    Cited by:

    1. Vincent Reinhart, 2010. "Monetary Policy in a Low-Interest-Rate Environment," NBER International Seminar on Macroeconomics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 6(1), pages 346-353.
    2. Obstfeld, Maurice, 1983. "Exchange rates, inflation, and the sterilization problem: Germany, 1975-1981," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 21(1-2), pages 161-189.
    3. Backus, David K. & Kehoe, Patrick J., 1989. "On the denomination of government debt : A critique of the portfolio balance approach," Journal of Monetary Economics, Elsevier, vol. 23(3), pages 359-376, May.
    4. Kumhof, Michael, 2018. "On the theory of international currency portfolios," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 101(C), pages 376-396.
    5. Maurice Obstfeld, 1990. "The Effectiveness of Foreign-Exchange Intervention: Recent Experience, 1985- 1988," NBER Chapters, in: International Policy Coordination and Exchange Rate Fluctuations, pages 197-246, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    6. Obstfeld, Maurice, 1980. "Imperfect asset substitutability and monetary policy under fixed exchange rates," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 10(2), pages 177-200, May.
    7. Dale Henderson, 1984. "Exchange Market Intervention Operations: Their Role in Financial Policy and Their Effects," NBER Chapters, in: Exchange Rate Theory and Practice, pages 359-406, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    8. Mr. Michael Kumhof, 2009. "International Currency Portfolios," IMF Working Papers 2009/048, International Monetary Fund.
    9. Patrick Artus, 1988. "Dynamique des actifs financiers et dévaluations avec endettement extérieur," Revue Économique, Programme National Persée, vol. 39(5), pages 973-998.
    10. Benjamin Carton, 2011. "The Impossible Trinity Revised: An Application to China," Working Papers 2011-27, CEPII research center.
    11. Christelle Lecourt & Helene Raymond, 2006. "Central bank interventions in industrialized countries: a characterization based on survey results," International Journal of Finance & Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 11(2), pages 123-138.
    12. Stijn van Nieuwerburgh & Michael Kumhof, 2005. "Monetary Policy in an Equilibrium Portfolio Balance Model," 2005 Meeting Papers 851, Society for Economic Dynamics.
    13. Kumhof, Michael, 2010. "On the theory of sterilized foreign exchange intervention," Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, Elsevier, vol. 34(8), pages 1403-1420, August.

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