November 23, 2004 Real Return Bonds: Monetary Policy Credibility and Short-Term Inflation Forecasting Bank of Canada Review - Autumn 2004 Christopher Reid, Frédéric Dion, Ian Christensen The break-even inflation rate (BEIR) is calculated by comparing the yields on conventional and Real Return Bonds. Defined as the average rate of inflation that equates the expected returns on these two bonds, the BEIR has the potential to contain useful information about long-run inflation expectations. Yet the BEIR has been higher, on average, and more variable than survey measures of inflation expectations, which may be explained by the effects of premiums and distortions embedded in the BEIR. Because of the difficulty in accounting for these distortions, the BEIR should not be given a large weight as a measure of long-run inflation expectations at this time. However, as the Real Return Bond market continues to develop, the BEIR should become a more useful indicator of inflation expectations. At present, it demonstrates no clear advantage over survey measures and even past inflation rates in forecasting near-term inflation. Content Type(s): Publications, Bank of Canada Review articles Topic(s): Inflation and prices, Interest rates, Market structure and pricing
November 22, 2004 Governor Dodge's speech on behalf of Canada's Finance Minister, Ralph Goodale Remarks David Dodge German-Canadian Business Club of Berlin- Brandenburg-Association of Berlin Merchants and Industrialists Berlin, Germany This document is published as a .pdf format only. Content Type(s): Press, Speeches and appearances, Remarks
November 22, 2004 The Evolving Financial System and Public Policy: Conference Highlights and Lessons Bank of Canada Review - Autumn 2004 Pierre St-Amant, Carolyn A. Wilkins At the 12th annual Bank of Canada economic conference, held in Ottawa on 4 and 5 December 2003, representatives from various public and private organizations and Bank of Canada staff discussed papers presented on three key issues affecting the financial system: financial contagion, the implications of bank diversification, and financial sector regulation. Papers on financial contagion studied the effect of globalization on Canadian foreign-asset exposures, developed a general-equilibrium model of a competitive interfirm lending market in which firms can borrow or lend, and used market-based indicators to determine the probability that contagion can be generated by interbank exposures. The papers on bank diversification focused on the links between the changing behaviour of financial institutions and risk-return trade-offs. Issues of financial sector regulation included the relationship between governance and financial sector soundness, the theoretical basis of bank regulations for capital requirements, and the implications of bank capital requirements for the transmission of monetary policy. A panel discussion provided extended discussion of the conference papers. Content Type(s): Publications, Bank of Canada Review articles Topic(s): Financial institutions, Financial markets, Financial services
November 21, 2004 Summary of the G-20 Workshop on Developing Strong Domestic Financial Markets, 26-27 April 2004 Bank of Canada Review - Autumn 2004 Joerg Stephan, James Powell, Robert Lafrance, James Haley G-20 representatives, academics, market participants, and members of international financial institutions were brought together in Ottawa to explore the connection between robust financial markets and economic growth and development, share experiences, and to develop policy recommendations, where possible. Participants identified several areas they deemed critical for fostering strong domestic financial markets and reducing external vulnerability: sound macroeconomics policies, strengthened financial infrastructures and banking systems, and exchange rate flexibility for countries with widely open capital accounts. Papers presented in the six sessions and keynote address highlighted a number of issues, including currency mismatches, the sequence of financial liberalization and supervisory reforms, the development of local financial markets, infrastructure building and governance, and appropriate incentives. Content Type(s): Publications, Bank of Canada Review articles Topic(s): Development economics, Financial institutions, International topics
November 20, 2004 Monetary Policy and Uncertainty Bank of Canada Review - Autumn 2004 David Longworth Remarks by David Longworth, Deputy Governor of the Bank of Canada to the Canadian Association for Business Economics Content Type(s): Publications, Bank of Canada Review articles
November 17, 2004 Bank of Canada Issues New $50 Bank Note Media Relations Ottawa, Ontario The Bank of Canada today put into circulation Canada's new $50 bank note. The new note will be distributed and become available across the country over the next few weeks. Content Type(s): Press, Press releases
The Transmission of World Shocks to Emerging-Market Countries: An Empirical Analysis Staff Working Paper 2004-44 Brigitte Desroches The first step in designing effective policies to stabilize an economy is to understand business cycles. No country is isolated from the world economy and external shocks are becoming increasingly important. Content Type(s): Staff research, Staff working papers Topic(s): Exchange rate regimes, International topics, Monetary policy transmission JEL Code(s): E, E3, E30, E32, E6, E61, F, F0, F02
Real Return Bonds, Inflation Expectations, and the Break-Even Inflation Rate Staff Working Paper 2004-43 Ian Christensen, Christopher Reid, Frédéric Dion According to the Fisher hypothesis, the gap between Canadian nominal and Real Return Bond yields (or break-even inflation rate) should be a good measure of inflation expectations. Content Type(s): Staff research, Staff working papers Topic(s): Inflation and prices, Interest rates, Market structure and pricing JEL Code(s): E, E3, E31, E4, E43
International Equity Flows and Returns: A Quantitative Equilibrium Approach Staff Working Paper 2004-42 Rui Albuquerque, Martin Schneider, Gregory Bauer The authors model trading by foreign and domestic investors in developed-country equity markets. Content Type(s): Staff research, Staff working papers Topic(s): Financial markets, International topics, Market structure and pricing JEL Code(s): F, F3, F30, G, G1, G12, G14, G15
Characterization of the Dynamic Effects of Fiscal Shocks in a Small Open Economy Staff Working Paper 2004-41 Nooman Rebei The author studies the macroeconomic consequences of discretionary changes in the fiscal policy instruments for Canada. Content Type(s): Staff research, Staff working papers Topic(s): Economic models, Exchange rates, Fiscal policy JEL Code(s): E, E3, E32, E6, E62