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Differences in Euro-Area Household Finances and their Relevance for Monetary-Policy Transmission

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  • Hintermaier, Thomas
  • Koeniger, Winfried

Abstract

This paper quantifies the extent of heterogeneity in consumption responses to changes in real interest rates and house prices in the four largest economies in the euro area: France, Germany, Italy, and Spain. We first calibrate a life-cycle incomplete-markets model with a financial asset and housing to match the large heterogeneity of households asset portfolios, observed in the Household Finance and Consumption Survey (HFCS) for these countries. We then show that the heterogeneity in household finances implies that responses of consumption to changes in the real interest rate and in house prices differ substantially across the countries, and within countries by household characteristics such as age, housing tenure, and asset positions. The different consumption responses quantified in this paper point towards important heterogeneity in monetary-policy transmission within the euro area.

Suggested Citation

  • Hintermaier, Thomas & Koeniger, Winfried, 2018. "Differences in Euro-Area Household Finances and their Relevance for Monetary-Policy Transmission," Economics Working Paper Series 1806, University of St. Gallen, School of Economics and Political Science, revised Nov 2019.
    • Handle: RePEc:usg:econwp:2018:06
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    Cited by:

    1. Koeniger, Winfried & Lennartz, Benedikt & Ramelet, Marc-Antoine, 2022. "On the transmission of monetary policy to the housing market," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 145(C).
    2. Sigal Ribon, 2023. "Differential Effects of Monetary Policy on Household Consumption: The Case of Israel," Israel Economic Review, Bank of Israel, vol. 21(1), pages 35-73, March.
    3. Slacalek, Jiri & Tristani, Oreste & Violante, Giovanni L., 2020. "Household balance sheet channels of monetary policy: A back of the envelope calculation for the euro area," Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, Elsevier, vol. 115(C).
    4. Koeniger, Winfried & Lennartz, Benedikt & Ramelet, Marc-Antoine, 2022. "On the transmission of monetary policy to the housing market," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 145(C).
    5. Luetticke, Ralph, 2020. "Comment on “The Household Channel of Monetary Policy in the Euro Area: A Back of the Envelope Calculation”," Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, Elsevier, vol. 115(C).
    6. Fleck, Johannes & Monninger, Adrian, 2020. "Culture and portfolios: trust, precautionary savings and home ownership," Working Paper Series 2457, European Central Bank.
    7. Miguel Ampudia & Russell Cooper & Julia Le Blanc & Guozhong Zhu, 2018. "MPC Heterogeneity in Europe: Sources and Policy Implications," NBER Working Papers 25082, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    European household portfolios; consumption; monetary policy transmission; international comparative finance; housing;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D14 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior - - - Household Saving; Personal Finance
    • D15 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior - - - Intertemporal Household Choice; Life Cycle Models and Saving
    • D31 - Microeconomics - - Distribution - - - Personal Income and Wealth Distribution
    • E21 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Consumption, Saving, Production, Employment, and Investment - - - Consumption; Saving; Wealth
    • E43 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Money and Interest Rates - - - Interest Rates: Determination, Term Structure, and Effects
    • G11 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - Portfolio Choice; Investment Decisions

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