June 11, 1998 The outlook for the Canadian economy and monetary policy Remarks Bernard Bonin The Canadian Association of Financial Planners Québec, Québec In mid-May we published our semi-annual Report on monetary policy, covering data up to April 24th. That means we now have new data available for the last two months. Furthermore, our report also pointed to a much greater-than-usual degree of uncertainty about the outlook for the Canadian economy. Content Type(s): Press, Speeches and appearances, Remarks
Buying Back Government Bonds: Mechanics and Other Considerations Staff Working Paper 1998-9 Toni Gravelle With the elimination of the federal deficit, the Bank of Canada, the Department of Finance, and financial market participants are examining ways to manage the reduction in the stock of marketable debt. This paper summarizes three different methods—reverse auction, over-the-counter purchases, and conversions—that could be used to buy back Government of Canada bonds before they […] Content Type(s): Staff research, Staff working papers Topic(s): Debt management, Financial markets JEL Code(s): G, G1
Easing Restrictions on the Stripping and Reconstitution of Government of Canada Bonds Staff Working Paper 1998-8 David Bolder, Serge Boisvert The Department of Finance and the Bank of Canada, as its fiscal agent, work closely with financial market participants in the management of the federal government's debt program. From the government's perspective, maintaining a liquid well-functioning market in Government of Canada securities is a key factor in ensuring that debt-service costs are minimized. It is […] Content Type(s): Staff research, Staff working papers Topic(s): Debt management JEL Code(s): G, G1
May 28, 1998 Opening Statement before the House of Commons Standing Committee on Finance Opening statement Gordon Thiessen House of Commons Standing Committee on Finance Mr. Chairman, my colleagues and I are pleased to appear before your committee on a regular basis following the release of the Bank of Canada's Monetary Policy Report. It gives us a chance to discuss with you a range of economic and monetary issues. More generally, our semi-annual Report and sessions such as this one […] Content Type(s): Press, Speeches and appearances, Opening statements
May 27, 1998 Globalized Financial Markets and Monetary Policy Remarks Gordon Thiessen La Conférence de Montréal Montréal, Quebec Globalization - that is, the growing integration and interdependence of national economies - is changing dramatically the economic landscape. Countries are trading more goods and services, an increasing number of firms now operate across national borders, and savers and borrowers have greater access than ever before to global financial markets. Content Type(s): Press, Speeches and appearances, Remarks
May 27, 1998 Bank of Canada Governor speaks at La Conférence de Montréal Media Relations In a speech delivered today to delegates to La Conférence de Montréal, Bank of Canada Governor Gordon Thiessen examined the impact of financial market globalization on the world economy. Content Type(s): Press, Press releases
May 14, 1998 Recent developments in the monetary aggregates and their implications Bank of Canada Review - Spring 1998 This article examines the developments in the monetary aggregates over the course of 1997 and their implications for future economic activity. The narrow aggregate, M1, grew rapidly in the first half of 1997 but slowed somewhat during the second half of the year. Much of the strong growth in this aggregate over the last several years has been associated with a higher demand for transactions balances as interest rates declined and economic activity revived. There were some special factors at play, however, that are discussed in the article. The Bank expects some slowing in M1 growth through 1998 and into 1999. This would be consistent with a trend of inflation within the inflation-control target range of 1 to 3 per cent over the next couple of years. Growth in the broad aggregate, M2+, continued to be distorted by the shift of savings out of fixed-term deposits into mutual funds. A broader aggregate that includes M2+, CSBs, and all mutual funds and thus provides a better estimate of broad money growth, grew at a moderate pace during 1997. The recent behaviour of the broad monetary aggregates continues to suggest that inflation will remain low in coming years. Content Type(s): Publications, Bank of Canada Review articles Topic(s): Monetary aggregates
May 14, 1998 Bank of Canada Review - Spring 1998 Cover page Papal Testone of Innocent XI Called a testone, this silver coin is about the size of a Canadian two-dollar piece and forms part of the National Currency Collection at the Bank of Canada. Photography by James Zagon. Content Type(s): Publications, Bank of Canada Review
May 13, 1998 Canada-U.S. long-term interest differentials in the 1990s Bank of Canada Review - Spring 1998 Kevin Clinton Long-term Canada-U.S. interest spreads have changed remarkably during the 1990s. The unusually wide spreads of the first half of the decade have given way to an unprecedented run of negative yield differentials. In this article, the author examines the conceptual aspects of yields on international assets and their application to the Canada-U.S. situation. Prior to 1995, investors were unsure that, over the long run, inflation would meet the targets set by the government and the Bank. Policy credibility was undermined by large budget deficits and political uncertainty. In the second half of the decade, confidence was re-established as the fiscal positions of governments improved, long-run price stability became established, and political concerns about Quebec lessened. As long as these fundamentals hold, long-term rates should remain relatively low, even when short-term rates rise. Content Type(s): Publications, Bank of Canada Review articles Topic(s): Financial markets, Interest rates, International topics
May 13, 1998 Monetary Policy Report – May 1998 Canada’s inflation-control targets establish a specific medium-term objective for monetary policy. Content Type(s): Publications, Monetary Policy Report