March 31, 2021 Research Update - March 2021 This monthly newsletter features the latest research publications by Bank of Canada economists including external publications and working papers published on the Bank of Canada’s website. Content Type(s): Staff research, Research newsletters
Labor Demand Response to Labor Supply Incentives: Lessons from the German Mini-Job Reform Staff working paper 2021-15 Gabriela Galassi How do firms change their employment decisions when tax benefits for low-earning workers are expanded? Some firms increase employment overall, whereas others replace high-earning workers with low-earning workers, according to German linked employer-employee data. Content Type(s): Staff research, Staff working papers JEL Code(s): E, E2, E24, E6, E64, H, H2, H20, H24, H3, H32, I, I3, I38, J, J2, J23, J3, J38 Research Theme(s): Models and tools, Economic models, Monetary policy, Real economy and forecasting, Structural challenges, Demographics and labour supply
What cured the TSX Equity index after COVID-19? Staff analytical note 2021-3 Guillaume Ouellet Leblanc, Jean-Sébastien Fontaine, Ryan Shotlander The TSX index rose by 9.5 percent in November 2020, adding large gains to an already sharp V-shaped recovery. The economic outlook improved at that time as well. We ask whether the stock market gains since last autumn are due to improving forecasts of firms’ earnings. Content Type(s): Staff research, Staff analytical notes JEL Code(s): G, G1, G12, G14 Research Theme(s): Financial markets and funds management, Market functioning, Monetary policy, Real economy and forecasting
Occasionally Binding Constraints in Large Models: A Review of Solution Methods Staff discussion paper 2021-5 Jonathan Swarbrick Solving macroeconomic models is difficult. One challenge is the occasionally binding constraint of the zero lower bound on nominal interest rates. This paper reviews various ways to solve models that include this feature. Content Type(s): Staff research, Staff discussion papers JEL Code(s): C, C6 Research Theme(s): Models and tools, Economic models, Monetary policy, Monetary policy framework and transmission
Non-bank financial intermediation in Canada: a pulse check Staff analytical note 2021-2 Rohan Arora, Guillaume Bédard-Pagé, Philippe Besnier, Hayden Ford, Alan Walsh The Canadian non-bank financial intermediation (NBFI) sector saw strong growth in 2018 and 2019. In 2020, COVID‑19 caused a financial shock. We provide a preliminary analysis on the impact of COVID‑19 on the sector as well as an update on its growth. Content Type(s): Staff research, Staff analytical notes JEL Code(s): G, G0, G01, G2, G20, G23 Research Theme(s): Financial system, Financial institutions and intermediation, Financial stability and systemic risk
Secular Economic Changes and Bond Yields Staff working paper 2021-14 Bruno Feunou, Jean-Sébastien Fontaine We investigate the economic forces behind the secular decline in bond yields. Before the anchoring of inflation in the mid-1990s, nominal shocks drove inflation, output and bond yields. Afterward, the impacts of nominal shocks were much less significant. Content Type(s): Staff research, Staff working papers JEL Code(s): E, E4, E43, G, G1, G12 Research Theme(s): Models and tools, Economic models, Monetary policy, Inflation dynamics and pressures, Monetary policy framework and transmission, Real economy and forecasting
Debt-Relief Programs and Money Left on the Table: Evidence from Canada's Response to COVID-19 Staff working paper 2021-13 Jason Allen, Robert Clark, Shaoteng Li, Nicolas Vincent During the COVID-19 pandemic, Canadian financial institutions offered debt-relief programs to help borrowers cope with job losses and economic insecurity. We consider the low take-up rates for these programs and suggest that to be effective, such programs must be visible and easy to use. Content Type(s): Staff research, Staff working papers JEL Code(s): G, G3, G31, H, H5 Research Theme(s): Financial system, Financial stability and systemic risk, Household and business credit, Monetary policy, Real economy and forecasting
Complementarities Between Fiscal Policy and Monetary Policy—Literature Review Staff discussion paper 2021-4 Wei Dong, Geoffrey R. Dunbar, Christian Friedrich, Dmitry Matveev, Romanos Priftis, Lin Shao This paper surveys and summarizes the literature on how fiscal policy and monetary policy can complement each other in stabilizing economic activity. Content Type(s): Staff research, Staff discussion papers JEL Code(s): E, E5, E52, E58, E6, E62, E63 Research Theme(s): Monetary policy, Monetary policy framework and transmission, Monetary policy tools and implementation, Real economy and forecasting
Imperfect Banking Competition and Macroeconomic Volatility: A DSGE Framework Staff working paper 2021-12 Jiaqi Li How do banks adjust their loan rate markup in response to macroeconomic shocks? Content Type(s): Staff research, Staff working papers JEL Code(s): E, E3, E32, E4, E44, G, G2, G21, L, L1, L13 Research Theme(s): Financial system, Financial institutions and intermediation, Models and tools, Economic models, Monetary policy, Monetary policy framework and transmission
A Generalized Endogenous Grid Method for Default Risk Models Staff working paper 2021-11 Youngsoo Jang, Soyoung Lee Models with default options are hard to solve. We propose an extension of the endogenous grid method that solves default risk models more efficiently and accurately. Content Type(s): Staff research, Staff working papers JEL Code(s): C, C6, C63, E, E3, E37 Research Theme(s): Models and tools, Econometric, statistical and computational methods, Economic models