Membership in a currency union is not irreversible. Exit expectations may emerge during sovereign debt crises, because exit allows countries to reduce their liabilities through a currency redenomination. As market participants anticipate this possibility, sovereign debt crises intensify. We establish this formally within a small open economy model of changing policy regimes. The model permits explosive dynamics of debt and sovereign yields inside currency unions and allows us to distinguish between exit expectations and those of an outright default. By estimating the model on Greek data, we quantify the contribution of exit expectations to the crisis dynamics during 2009 to 2012.
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Diese Doktorarbeit untersucht drei Fragestellungen. Erstens, wie die Wirkung von plötzlichen Änderungen exogener Faktoren auf endogene Variablen empirisch im Allgemeinen zu bestimmen ist. Zweitens, welche Effekte eine Erhöhung der Staatsausgaben im Speziellen hat. Drittens, wie optimale Geldpolitik bestimmt werden kann, wenn der Entscheider keine eindeutigen Modelle für die ökonomischen Rahmenbedingungen hat. Im ersten Kapitel entwickele ich eine Methode, mithilfe derer die Effekte von plötzlichen Änderungen exogener Faktoren auf endogene Variablen geschätzt werden können. Dazu wird die gemeinsame Verteilung von Parametern einer Vektor Autoregression (VAR) und eines stochastischen allgemeinen Gleichgewichtsmodelles (DSGE) bestimmt. Auf diese Weise können zentrale Probleme gelöst werden: das Identifikationsproblem der VAR und eine mögliche Misspezifikation des DSGE Modells. Im zweitem Kapitel wende ich die Methode aus dem ersten Kapitel an, um den Effekt einer angekündigten Erhöhung der Staatsausgaben auf den privaten Konsum und die Reallöhne zu untersuchen. Die Identifikation beruht auf der Einsicht, dass endogene Variablen, oft qualitative Unterschiede in der Periode der Ankündigung und nach der Realisation zeigen. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass der private Konsum negativ im Zeitraum der Ankündigung reagiert und positiv nach der Realisation. Reallöhne steigen zum Zeitpunkt der Ankündigung und sind positiv für zwei Perioden nach der Realisation. Im abschließendem Kapitel untersuche ich gemeinsam mit Christian Stoltenberg, wie Geldpolitik gesteuert werden sollte, wenn die Modellierung der Ökonomie unsicher ist. Wenn ein Modell um einen Parameter erweitert wird, kann das Modell dadurch so verändert werden, dass sich die Politikempfehlungen zwischen dem ursprünglichen und dem neuen Modell unterscheiden. Oft wird aber lediglich das erweiterte Modell betrachtet. Wir schlagen eine Methode vor, die beiden Modellen Rechnung trägt und somit zu einer besseren Politik führt. ; This thesis is concerned with three questions: first, how can the effects macroeconomic policy has on the economy in general be estimated? Second, what are the effects of a pre-announced increase in government expenditures? Third, how should monetary policy be conducted, if the policymaker faces uncertainty about the economic environment. In the first chapter I suggest to estimate the effects of an exogenous disturbance on the economy by considering the parameter distributions of a Vector Autoregression (VAR) model and a Dynamic Stochastic General Equilibrium (DSGE) model jointly. This allows to resolve the major issue a researcher has to deal with when working with a VAR model and a DSGE model: the identification of the VAR model and the potential misspecification of the DSGE model. The second chapter applies the methodology presented in the preceding chapter to investigate the effects of a pre-announced change in government expenditure on private consumption and real wages. The shock is identified by exploiting its pre-announced nature, i.e. different signs of the responses in endogenous variables during the announcement and after the realization of the shock. Private consumption is found to respond negatively during the announcement period and positively after the realization. The reaction of real wages is positive on impact and positive for two quarters after the realization. In the last chapter ''Optimal Policy Under Model Uncertainty: A Structural-Bayesian Estimation Approach'' I investigate jointly with Christian Stoltenberg how policy should optimally be conducted when the policymaker is faced with uncertainty about the economic environment. The standard procedure is to specify a prior over the parameter space ignoring the status of some sub-models. We propose a procedure that ensures that the specified set of sub-models is not discarded too easily. We find that optimal policy based on our procedure leads to welfare gains compared to the standard practice.
This paper investigates the effect of a government expenditure shock on consumption and real wages. I identify the shock by exploiting its pre-announced nature, i.e. different signs of the responses in investment, hours worked and output during the announcement and after the realization of the shock. Since pre-announcement leads to a non-stationary moving average representation, I estimate and identify a VMA model. The identifying restrictions are derived from a DSGE model, which is estimated by matching the impulse response functions of the VMA model. Private consumption is found to respond negatively during the announcement period and positively after the realization. The reaction of real wages is significantly positive on impact, decreases during the announcement horizon, and is again significantly positive for two quarters after the realization.
This paper investigates the effect of a government expenditure shock on consumption and real wages. I identify the shock by exploiting its pre-announced nature, i.e. different signs of the responses in investment, hours worked and output during the announcement and after the realization of the shock. Since pre-announcement leads to a non-stationary moving average representation, I estimate and identify a VMA model. The identifying restrictions are derived from a DSGE model, which is estimated by matching the impulse response functions of the VMA model. Private consumption is found to respond negatively during the announcement period and positively after the realization. The reaction of real wages is significantly positive on impact, decreases during the announcement horizon, and is again significantly positive for two quarters after the realization.
Im Mai 2022 hat sich das Ende von Reichskanzler Heinrich Brünings Amtszeit zum 90. Mal gejährt. Bis heute sind die ökonomischen Auswirkungen von Brünings extremer Austeritätspolitik noch immer ungeklärt. Neue Daten und Berechnungen erlauben erstmals die Quantifizierung der ökonomischen Folgen der von Brüning erlassenen Spardekrete. Eine Analyse auf Basis eines Zeitreihenmodells veranschaulicht, wie sich die Wirtschaft der Weimarer Republik ohne Brünings Sparmaßnahmen hätte entwickeln können. Die reale Wirtschaftsleistung sank demzufolge durch die Notverordnungen im Referenzjahr 1932 insgesamt um rund 4,5 Prozent und die Arbeitslosigkeit stieg stark. Vor diesem Hintergrund sollten Forderungen nach einer Schuldenreduzierung durch Austeritätspolitik heute hinterfragt werden.
We reexamine whether pre-Volcker U.S. fiscal policy was active or passive. To do so, we estimate a DSGE model with monetary and fiscal policy interactions employing a sequential Monte Carlo algorithm (SMC) for posterior evaluation. Unlike existing studies, we do not have to treat each policy regime as distinct, separately estimated, models. Rather, SMC enables us to estimate the DSGE model over its entire Parameter space. A differentiated perspective results: pre-Volcker macroeconomic dynamics were similarly driven by a passive monetary/passive fiscal policy regime and fiscal dominance. Fiscal policy actions, especially government spending, were critical in the pre-Volcker in ation build-up. ; Not Reviewed
We reexamine whether pre-Volcker U.S. fiscal policy was active or passive. To do so, we estimate a DSGE model with monetary and fiscal policy interactions employing a sequential Monte Carlo algorithm (SMC) for posterior evaluation. Unlike existing studies, we do not have to treat each policy regime as distinct, separately estimated, models. Rather, SMC enables us to estimate the DSGE model over its entire parameter space. A differentiated perspective results: pre-Volcker macroeconomic dynamics were similarly driven by a passive monetary/passive fiscal policy regime and fiscal dominance. Fiscal policy actions, especially government spending, were critical in the pre-Volcker inflation build-up.
We reexamine whether pre-Volcker U.S. fiscal policy was active or passive. To do so, we estimate a DSGE model with monetary and fiscal policy interactions employing a sequential Monte Carlo algorithm (SMC) for posterior evaluation. Unlike existing studies, we do not have to treat each policy regime as distinct, separately estimated, models. Rather, SMC enables us to estimate the DSGE model over its entire parameter space. A differentiated perspective results: pre-Volcker macroeconomic dynamics were similarly driven by a passive monetary/passive fiscal policy regime and fiscal dominance. Fiscal policy actions, especially government spending, were critical in the pre-Volcker inflation build-up.
Die Niedrigzinspolitik der EZB wird von vielen Seiten kritisiert: Kleinsparer und Banken würden leiden, Unternehmen könnten verfehlte Geschäftsmodelle langfristig aufrechterhalten (Zombifi zierung), durch Ausweichreaktionen entstünden Blasen auf Immobilienmärkten und an der Börse. In der Europäischen Union werden häufig der Stabilitätspakt und die damit gebremste Kapitalnachfrage der Staaten für die Niedrigzinsen verantwortlich gemacht. Vieles spricht aber dafür, dass das Phänomen global ist - vor allem wenn man den Realzins betrachtet: Offenbar liegt das weltweite Kapitalangebot über der Kapitalnachfrage. Gründe sind, dass immer mehr Bürger privat für das Alter vorsorgen, dass die Einkommensverteilung sich zugunsten der Bezieher hoher Einkommen mit hoher Sparneigung verändert hat oder dass Investitionsgüter weltweit billiger wurden. Was ist zu tun? Eine Zinserhöhung wird eher nicht empfohlen. Vielmehr sollten andere wirtschaftspolitische Maßnahmen dazu beitragen, zum einen die Kapitalnachfrage zu erhöhen, z. B. durch steigende staatliche Nettokreditaufnahme zur Finanzierung zusätzlicher Investitionen, und zum anderen die Sparquote, z. B. durch verteilungspolitische Maßnahmen, zu senken. ; The ECB's low interest rate policy has been criticised from many sides: Individual savers and banks would suffer, companies would prolong failed business models (zombifi cation), evasive reactions would create bubbles on real estate markets and the stock exchange. In the European Union, the Stability Pact and the resulting reduction in the demand for capital by the states are often blamed for the low interest rates. However, there is much to suggest that the phenomenon is global - especially when you look at real interest rates: It seems that the global supply of capital exceeds the demand. The reasons are that more and more citizens are making private provisions for old age, that the distribution of income has changed in favour of those on high incomes with a high propensity to save, or that capital goods have become cheaper worldwide. What should be done? An interest rate increase is not recommended. Rather, other economic policy measures should help to increase the demand for capital, such as increasing government net borrowing to fi nance additional investment and reducing the savings ratio, e. g. by distributional policy measures.
The presently tenuous situation in Turkey will worsen if the government does not take appropriate policy action. In view of foreign investors' loss of confidence, the cost of external financing is likely to rise while consumption and investment will fall, and the Turkish lira would depreciate further. The influx of foreign capital would dry up as well. Conservative estimates show that the country's growth would decline by five percent in the first year. These are the results of simulations with an equilibrium model developed by the German Institute for Economic Research. However, adopting measures such as budget consolidation, interest rate hikes, or lowering the target inflation rate could prevent a crisis. The most effective and efficient measure is lowering the perceived inflation target by restoring central bank's independence, thereby regaining investor confidence. Loans from international partners would also stabilize Turkey's currency, inflation, and economy - and support the country's reform process.
