December 15, 2000 The Federal Government's Use of Interest Rate Swaps and Currency Swaps Bank of Canada Review - Winter 2000-2001 John Kiff, Uri Ron, Shafiq K. Ebrahim Interest rate swaps and currency swaps are contracts in which counterparties agree to exchange cash flows according to a pre-arranged formula over a period of time. Since 1985, the federal government has been using such swaps to manage its liabilities in a cost-effective and flexible manner. The authors outline the characteristics of swap agreements and the ways in which the government uses them. They show that the swap program has been cost-effective, estimating that past and projected savings exceed $500 million. The authors also discuss the methods that the government uses to monitor the counterparty credit risk associated with these transactions. Content Type(s): Publications, Bank of Canada Review articles Topic(s): Interest rates
The Application of Artificial Neural Networks to Exchange Rate Forecasting: The Role of Market Microstructure Variables Staff Working Paper 2000-23 Nikola Gradojevic, Jing Yang Artificial neural networks (ANN) are employed for high-frequency Canada/U.S. dollar exchange rate forecasting. ANN outperform random walk and linear models in a number of recursive out-of- sample forecasts. Content Type(s): Staff research, Staff working papers Topic(s): Exchange rates JEL Code(s): C, C4, C45, F, F3, F31
December 5, 2000 Bank of Canada keeps Bank Rate at 6 per cent Media Relations Ottawa, Ontario The Bank of Canada today announced that it is maintaining the Bank Rate at 6 per cent. The operating band for the overnight rate is unchanged, and the Bank’s target for the overnight rate remains at 5 3/4 per cent. Content Type(s): Press, Press releases
December 4, 2000 Bank of Canada Governor concludes that a floating exchange rate regime continues to make sense for Canada Media Relations Montréal, Quebec In a speech to the Chambre de commerce du Montréal métropolitain, Bank of Canada Governor Gordon Thiessen reviewed the different sides of the argument with respect to a floating exchange rate regime, and concluded that a floating currency continues to make sense for Canada. Content Type(s): Press, Press releases
December 4, 2000 Why a Floating Exchange Rate Regime Makes Sense for Canada Remarks Gordon Thiessen Chambre de commerce du Montréal métropolitain Montréal, Quebec One of the issues that has often surfaced over the years is the exchange rate for the Canadian dollar. Indeed, over the past couple of years, it has been a topic of considerable public discussion. Content Type(s): Press, Speeches and appearances, Remarks
December 1, 2000 Market Views Sought on Issues Relating to the Design and Operation of Government Debt Programs over 2001-02 A consultation document on issues relating to the design and operation of government debt programs over 2001-2002, prepared jointly by the Department of Finance and the Bank of Canada, is being made public today. Content Type(s): Press, Market notices
December 1, 2000 Debt Strategy Consultations 2001—02 Overview The purpose of the consultations is to obtain market views on issues relating to the design and operation of government debt programs over 2001—02, with a focus on the Treasury bill program. The following provides a brief description of the issues to be covered: Context The objectives of debt strategy are to provide stable, […]
December 1, 2000 Background Note on the Treasury Bill Program 1. Introduction This year, the average outstanding stock of treasury bills has been about $85 billion, about half of where it was (almost $165 billion) five years ago. The turnover ratio (the trading volume to the outstanding stock of bills) has declined by even more, to less than half the rate of five years ago. As part […]
November 29, 2000 Government of Canada Pilot Cash Management Bond Buyback Program Launch: Operational Framework On behalf of the Minister of Finance, the Bank of Canada announced today that the government will be proceeding on a pilot basis with a bond buyback program for cash management purposes. The program is designed to reduce the peak levels of government cash balances needed to redeem large upcoming maturities of Government of Canada marketable bonds. Design of the operational framework has been based on consultations with market participants. Content Type(s): Press, Announcements
November 28, 2000 Bank of Canada to Offer Term SPRAs and May Purchase BAs over Year-end The Bank of Canada today announced its intention to temporarily add assets to its balance sheet to offset the anticipated $2 billion to $3 billion seasonal increase in the demand for bank notes. These operations have no monetary policy significance. Content Type(s): Press, Market notices