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Monetary Policy Spillovers and Cooperation in a Global Economy

Alberto Musalem
November 14, 2014

Disclaimer: These are my personal remarks and do not reflect the views of the Federal Reserve System

Key observations
• Spillovers are evident and EM have handled past episodes of Fed
tightening generally well, with important differences across countries
and episodes
• The global backdrop adds to challenges facing EM
• Divergent cyclical positions and policy stances in AE
• Widespread slowdown in EM growth and uncertainty about potential

• EM are generally better placed than in past cycles, reflecting widespread
fundamental improvements of the past 15 years
• A complex backdrop adds to the importance of effective Fed
communications
• We must strive to be clear about how we are evaluating the shifting
economic and financial landscape, and what this means for policy
2

Spillovers : some evidence
• CMP tightening in the US reduces capital flows to EM, and the effect is
greater if there is a monetary policy surprise (WEO 2011a, IMF)
• US monetary conditions seem to drive EM policy rates beyond what
domestic factors would suggest, and while the impact of US monetary
policy has weakened, the co-movement of long-term rates became
stronger after the GFC (Takas and Vela 2014, BIS)
• UMP affects capital flows, term and risk-premia globally, and in different
ways than CMP

• UMP announcement effects on EM asset prices were strong but not
different from the typical impact that changes in U.S. interest rates have
had historically (Bowman et al 2014, FRB)
• Monetary shocks and real shocks to US 10yy have different, and mostly
opposite effects, on EM performance and asset prices (Matheson et al
2014, IMF)

3

Spillovers : bad or good
Effects of shocks to US 10 year yields on EM

Yields
NEER
Industrial production
Capital flows
Equity prices

Monetary shock

Real shock

+
-

+
+
+
+
+

Source: IMF WEO Oct 2014

4

Spillovers : performance differs across episodes

EME Export Volumes

EME Industrial Production
Index

Index
112

112

Index

Index

120

120
1999

110

110

1999
1994

108

115

1994

115

108

106

2004
1988

104

106

Median

110

110

2004
104

105

105

100

100

1983
102

102
Median

100

100

98

98

96

96
-6

-5

-4

-3

-2

-1

0

Note: Production-w eighted. Source: Haver

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10 11 12

95

95

90

90
-6

-5

-4

-3

-2

-1

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10 11 12

Source: Haver

5

Spillovers : the 1994 policy surprise lesson

EME Currencies

EME Equities
Index

Index

140

140
2004

130

130
1988

120

120

Index

Index
108

108
1988

106
104

2004
Median

102
110

106

1994

110

100
1999

100

98

Median
90

90

80

80
1994

70
60
-6

-5

-4

-3

-2

-1

0

Note: MSCI EM USD terms. Source: Haver

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10 11 12

98

96

96
1983

94

70

92

60

90

102
100

1999

100

104

94
92
90

-6

-5

-4

-3

-2

-1

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10 11 12

Note: Trade-w eighted, real. Source: Haver

6

Spillovers : factors in the global backdrop beyond the Fed
• EM growth has been slowing since 2010, raising questions about potential
• Expected policy stances in the advanced economies have diverged

Advanced and EM Economies: GDP Growth
Percent change from year ago quarter

Percent

16

16

14

14

12

12

China

10

10

8

8
EMEs
Ex. China

6

6

4

4

2

2

0

0
Advanced
Economies

-2

-2

-4
-6
2000

-4
-6
2002

2004

2006

2008

2010

2012

2014

Source: National authorities, FRBNY estimates

7

Spillovers : more on the backdrop
Global
GDP growth Commodity
Prices Trends
1994
2004
2013

moderate
strong
moderate

moderate
strong
moderate

GDP growth
moderate
strong
moderate

Emerging Markets
Current
Credit
Account
Penetration
weak
strong
moderate

strong
moderate
strong

Capital
Inflows
weak
strong
moderate

Note: Data series are calculated over the past 35 years (except for credit which extends back 23 years), with the lowest 10 years denoted as 'weak', middle 15 years as 'moderate', and
highest 10 years as 'strong'. GDP data is annual GDP data in constant prices at market exchange rates from the IMF's WEO, commodity price trends reflect the change in the current
year's real commodity prices relative to the 3 previous years and is from the World Bank, current account and capital inflow data are as a share of GDP and are from the IIF, credit
penetration reflects the aggregate 2-year change in credit-gdp and is from the BIS.

• Fed tightening cycles in 2004 and 1994 present a clear contrast in initial EM conditions
• Conditions heading into last year’s Taper Tantrum were more mixed
• Considerable uncertainty about EM conditions as the Fed begins normalizing

8

EM resilience
• The Taper Tantrum was an important although transitory stress-test, and
EM managed well through it in the public and corporate sectors
• EM are generally better equipped than in past cycles to navigate
through potential renewed market stress
•
•
•
•
•
•

Fewer fixed-but-adjustable exchange rates
Clearer and more coherent monetary policy frameworks
Thicker foreign exchange liquidity cushions
Improved debt service ratios and generally moderate external debt levels
Generally improved fiscal discipline
Better capitalized banking systems, supported by stronger supervisory and
regulatory frameworks

• Progress is uneven, and important vulnerabilities remain:
• Rapid recent growth in bank credit and in corporate debt (domestic and
external) are particular concerns
9

Domestic mandate
• The Fed’s statutory mandate, like that of other central banks, is domestic
• “to promote effectively the goals of maximum employment, stable prices,
and moderate long-term interest rates”

• Within this mandate, there are good reasons to consider international
effects of monetary policy
• The US economy and the economies of the rest of the world have important
feedback effects on each other, and adverse international spillovers can
harm US prosperity
• The role of the dollar as a reserve currency means the Fed has special
responsibility to manage monetary policy in a way that promotes global
financial stability

• First and foremost, the Fed can contribute to global growth and stability
by promoting growth and stability at home, and the same goes for all
central banks
•

Monetary policy designed for everyone is unlikely to help anyone
10

Working for a smooth exit
• The Fed’s recent efforts in this direction have focused on improving
the communications framework
• Caution is warranted
•
•
•
•

There is less experience with UMP and this creates some uncertainties
Liftoff could be materially different for markets than prior CMP rate increases
The structure of markets has continued to change since the GFC
Requires attentive listening to, and communications with, other central banks and markets

• To promote domestic and global financial stability, the Fed has also
made considerable efforts to strengthen the safety and soundness of
the financial system
• Within the domestic mandate, the Fed seeks to minimize adverse
spillovers and maximize the beneficial effects of US economic and
financial performance on the global economy
11