November 16, 2017
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2360
result(s)
November 16, 2017
Acceptance and Use of Payments at the Point of Sale in Canada
Merchants universally accept cash. Consumers widely hold cash but also carry debit and credit cards. The cost of using a method of payment has only a small influence on which method consumers use. Large merchants accept all payments, while only two-thirds of small and medium-sized businesses accept credit cards. Merchants report that credit cards are the costliest payment method compared with cash and debit cards. However, costs are not the only consideration. Merchant acceptance of credit accounts for the many con-sumers that want to use credit cards. This interaction between consumers and merchants is known as network externalities.
Content Type(s):
Publications,
Bank of Canada Review articles
Topic(s):
Bank notes,
Digital currencies and fintech,
Financial institutions,
Payment clearing and settlement systems
JEL Code(s):
D,
D2,
D23,
D24,
E,
E4,
E41,
E42,
G,
G2,
G21,
L,
L2
November 16, 2017
An Update on the Neutral Rate of Interest
The neutral rate serves as a benchmark for measuring monetary stimulus and provides a medium- to long-run anchor for the real policy rate. Global neutral rate estimates have been falling over the past few decades. Factors such as population aging, high corporate savings, and low trend productivity growth are likely to continue supporting a low global neutral rate. These global factors as well as domestic factors are exerting downward pres-sure on the Canadian real neutral rate, which is estimated to be between 0.5 to 1.5 per cent. This low neutral rate has important implications for monetary policy and financial stability.
Content Type(s):
Publications,
Bank of Canada Review articles
Topic(s):
Interest rates,
International topics,
Potential output,
Recent economic and financial developments
JEL Code(s):
E,
E4,
E43,
E5,
E52,
E58,
F,
F0,
F01,
F4,
F43,
O,
O4
November 16, 2017
An Initial Assessment of Changes to the Bank of Canada’s Framework for Market Operations
The Bank of Canada made changes to several of the tools that make up its framework for operations and liquidity provision. These changes came about after a comprehensive re-view of the framework and are designed to help the Bank better achieve its objectives of reinforcing the target for the overnight rate and supporting the well-functioning of Cana-dian financial markets under normal market conditions.
Content Type(s):
Publications,
Bank of Canada Review articles
Topic(s):
Financial markets,
Financial stability,
Monetary policy framework,
Monetary policy implementation,
Monetary policy transmission,
Payment clearing and settlement systems
JEL Code(s):
E,
E4,
E42,
E44,
E5,
E52,
E58,
G,
G0,
G01,
G1,
G18
Communicating Uncertainty in Monetary Policy
Staff Discussion Paper 2017-14
Sharon Kozicki,
Jill Vardy
While central banks cannot provide complete foresight with respect to their future policy actions, it is in the interests of both central banks and market participants that central banks be transparent about their reaction functions and how they may evolve in response to economic developments, shocks, and risks to their outlooks.
Content Type(s):
Staff research,
Staff discussion papers
Topic(s):
Credibility,
Monetary policy,
Monetary policy and uncertainty,
Monetary policy communications
JEL Code(s):
E,
E5,
E52,
E58,
E6,
E61,
E65
Monetary Policy Under Uncertainty: Practice Versus Theory
Staff Discussion Paper 2017-13
Rhys R. Mendes,
Stephen Murchison,
Carolyn A. Wilkins
For central banks, conducting policy in an environment of uncertainty is a daily fact of life. This uncertainty can take many forms, ranging from incomplete knowledge of the correct economic model and data to future economic and geopolitical events whose precise magnitudes and effects cannot be known with certainty.
Content Type(s):
Staff research,
Staff discussion papers
Topic(s):
Monetary policy,
Monetary policy and uncertainty
JEL Code(s):
E,
E5,
E52,
E58,
E6,
E61,
E65
Understanding the Time Variation in Exchange Rate Pass-Through to Import Prices
Staff Discussion Paper 2017-12
Rose Cunningham,
Min Jae Kim,
Christian Friedrich,
Kristina Hess
In this paper, we analyze the presence of time variation in the pass-through from the nominal effective exchange rate to import prices for 24 advanced economies over the period 1995–2015. In line with earlier studies in the literature, we find substantial heterogeneity in the level of exchange rate pass-through across countries.
Content Type(s):
Staff research,
Staff discussion papers
Topic(s):
Exchange rates,
Inflation and prices,
International topics,
Monetary policy transmission
JEL Code(s):
E,
E3,
E31,
F,
F3,
F31,
F4,
F41
Digitalization and Inflation: A Review of the Literature
Staff Analytical Note 2017-20
Karyne B. Charbonneau,
Alexa Evans,
Subrata Sarker,
Lena Suchanek
In the past few years, many have postulated that the possible disinflationary effects of digitalization could explain the subdued inflation in advanced economies. In this note, we review the evidence found in the literature. We look at three main channels.
Content Type(s):
Staff research,
Staff analytical notes
Topic(s):
Inflation and prices,
Market structure and pricing,
Productivity
JEL Code(s):
D,
D2,
D22,
E,
E3,
E31,
L,
L8,
L81,
O,
O3,
O33
Digital Transformation in the Service Sector: Insights from Consultations with Firms in Wholesale, Retail and Logistics
Staff Analytical Note 2017-19
Wei Dong,
James Fudurich,
Lena Suchanek
Firms increasingly rely on digital technologies such as e-commerce, cloud computing, big data, digital tracking and digital platforms that are reshaping business operations, business models and market structures. In this context, the Bank of Canada consulted with firms in wholesale, retail and logistics, as well as with related industry associations to yield insights on the adoption of digital technologies.
Content Type(s):
Staff research,
Staff analytical notes
Topic(s):
Firm dynamics,
Inflation and prices,
Service sector
JEL Code(s):
D,
D2,
D22,
E,
E3,
E31,
L,
L8,
L81,
L9,
L92,
O,
O3,
O33
Identification of Random Resource Shares in Collective Households Without Preference Similarity Restrictions
Staff Working Paper 2017-45
Geoffrey R. Dunbar,
Arthur Lewbel,
Krishna Pendakur
Resource shares, defined as the fraction of total household spending going to each person in a household, are important for assessing individual material well-being, inequality and poverty. They are difficult to identify because consumption is measured typically at the household level, and many goods are jointly consumed, so that individual-level consumption in multi-person households is not directly observed.
Content Type(s):
Staff research,
Staff working papers
Topic(s):
Domestic demand and components,
Econometric and statistical methods
JEL Code(s):
C,
C3,
C31,
D,
D1,
D11,
D12,
D13,
I,
I3,
I32