Central Banks Flashcards
Where was the first CB
Sweden
Main function of central bank
Monetary stability (stable prices and confidence)
Also could be lender of last resort, finance government etc.
How was the Federal Reserve structure to avoid power concentration
Had 12 FR banks privately owned
Private vs public ownership of central banks:
Arguments for public ownership (3)
Central banks act in ultimate public interest. (Eval: theory of bureaucratic behaviour FC67)
Private ownership is profit driven, thus increasing risk taking (lend to riskier for more returns) and balance sheet issues.
GFC demonstrated profit targeting is extremely bad in the case of a financial crisis, in saving the financial sector.
Arguments for private ownership (3)
Guaranteed central bank independence
Restricts distribution of dividends per share
Private owners bail out CB in the case of losses, rather than coming from fiscal budget!
CB’s have taken on increasing responsibilities and thus have been granted more independence to follow through.
ECB came in 1998, why?
Handle transitional issues of the nations comprising the EU
Eurozone
An economic monetary union comprised of EU members that have adopted the Euro
How many member states initial states were part of the Eurozone (i.e adopted the Euro)
How many in 2017
11
In 2017 19/28
Do the Eurozone countries retain their own national central banks?
Yes, but not independent monetary policy
Eurosystem
The ECB and the NCBs of those states who adopted the Euro
European system of central banks
(NOTE: DIFFERENT FROM THE EUROSYSTEM)
Comprises the ECB and all NCBs of the EU members regardless of Eurozone or not (adopted Euro or not)
What can the non Eurozone member states do?
Since retained own currency not Euro, can conduct their own monetary policy unlike Eurozone countries !
Who is capital stock and balance sheet of ECB owned by
The CB of 27 EU members / NCBs
How are shares of NCBs in the total capital stock of the ECB weighted?
According to population and GDP
When does the ECB adjust the shares (2)
Every 5 years
When a new member joins
3 decision making bodies of the ECB
Governing council
Executive board
General council
Governing council responsibility
Monetary policy - price stability
Executive board responsibility
Day to day operations and management of ECB+Eurosystem
General council
Encourage cooperation between NCBs of the EU.
Advisory functions e.g accounting
How is voting rights split
5 largest economies get 4 rights. Remaining 14 countries share 11 voting rights.
What is important to note about the general council
(Hint: existence)
It is a transitional body said to not exist once all EU states adopt the Euro
3 objectives of ECB
Price stability (governing council as mentioned)
Support economic policies of Eurozone nations
Ensure independent and open market
(Maintain independence from governments also)
What is a side objective
Maintain independence from governments
The Bundesbank is the biggest NCB.
During the European sovereign debt crises, more than five bailouts were offered to the ailing European economies with the burden lying mostly on the Bundesbank.
What did the Bundesbank argue
Bundesbank argued financing of budget deficits violates the ECB’s independence from government, political, and financial influence
ECB’s first objective is price stability: how does it achieve this?
Target closely below 2% inflation by using 3 interest rates.
What 3 interest rates does the ECB use
Deposit facility rate
Refinancing rate
Marginal lending facility rate
Deposit facility rate (most imp since provides the bulk of liquidity)
Rate on tenders to banks and determines how much quantitive easing can lower bond yields.
(Since QE aims to boost economy through lower interest, so deposit facility rate looks to find the effect QE has on the interest rate on bonds!