Staff analytical notes

• Credit Cards: Disentangling the Dual Use of Borrowing and Spending

  Staff Analytical Note 2015-3 Olga Bilyk, Brian Peterson

  Over the past 15 years, aggregate credit card balances have been increasing, except for a brief spell in the aftermath of the 2007–09 financial crisis. Determining whether the growing balances are due to increased usage of credit cards as a method of payment or whether they reflect increased short-term borrowing is challenging because aggregate balances are snapshots of charges on credit cards before households make their monthly payments.

  Content Type(s): Staff research, Staff analytical notes Topic(s): Credit and credit aggregates, Financial stability

• Estimating Canada’s Effective Lower Bound

  Staff Analytical Note 2015-2 Jonathan Witmer, Jing Yang

  In 2009, the Bank of Canada set its effective lower bound (ELB) at 25 basis points (bps). Given the recent experience of Sweden, Denmark, Switzerland and the euro area with negative interest rates, we examine the economics of negative interest rates and suggest that cash storage costs are the source of a negative lower bound on interest rates.

  Content Type(s): Staff research, Staff analytical notes Topic(s): Central bank research, Monetary policy framework, Monetary policy implementation JEL Code(s): D, D5, D53, E, E4, E41, E43, E5, E58

• Foreign Flows and Their Effects on Government of Canada Yields

  Staff Analytical Note 2015-1 Bruno Feunou, Jean-Sébastien Fontaine, James Kyeong, Jesus Sierra

  Foreign investment flows into Government of Canada (GoC) bonds have surged since the financial crisis. Our empirical analysis suggests that foreign flows of $150 billion lowered the 10-year GoC bond yield by 100 basis points between 2009 and 2012.

  Content Type(s): Staff research, Staff analytical notes Topic(s): International financial markets, International topics, Monetary policy transmission JEL Code(s): F, F3, F32