Constraints on the Conduct of Canadian Monetary Policy in the 1990s: Dealing with Uncertainty in Financial Markets Technical Report No. 80 Kevin Clinton, Mark Zelmer Canada's economic performance in the first half of the 1990s was adversely affected by high premiums in interest rates that were brought on by political and economic uncertainties. Content Type(s): Staff research, Technical reports Topic(s): Monetary policy and uncertainty, Monetary policy implementation, Monetary policy transmission JEL Code(s): E, E5, E58
December 1, 1997 What can monetary policy do to help the economy reach its full potential? Remarks Gordon Thiessen Canadian Club of Toronto Toronto, Ontario Today, we meet against a backdrop of some uncertainty in the international economy. I would like to begin my remarks with an assessment of what the recent financial and economic events in Asia could mean for Canada. Content Type(s): Press, Speeches and appearances, Remarks
November 27, 1997 Final report on wartime gold transactions released Media Relations The Bank of Canada today released a report by Professor Duncan McDowall of Carleton University entitled Due Diligence: A report on the Bank of Canada's handling of foreign gold during World War II. Content Type(s): Press, Press releases
November 25, 1997 Bank Rate Raised in Response to Persistent Weakness in the Canadian Dollar Media Relations Ottawa, Ontario The Bank of Canada today raised the Bank Rate by 1/4 of one percentage point to 4 per cent. The Bank's operating band for the overnight rate was similarly adjusted. Content Type(s): Press, Press releases
November 20, 1997 Monetary Policy Report – November 1997 In the last half-year, the economic expansion in Canada has become well established, supported by low inflation, highly stimulative monetary conditions, and a strong U.S. economy. Content Type(s): Publications, Monetary Policy Report
November 14, 1997 European economic and monetary union: Background and implications Bank of Canada Review - Autumn 1997 Chantal Dupasquier, Jocelyn Jacob The European Union, which currently consists of 15 states, occupies an important place among the advanced economies. The final stage of the European economic and monetary union (EMU) is scheduled to begin in January 1999 with the adoption of a common currency called the "euro." A decision on which countries will participate in the euro area in 1999 will be made next spring based in part on the achievement of the economic criteria laid out in the Maastricht Treaty. In this article, the authors, after a brief discussion of the historical background, cast some light on the institutional aspects of the EMU, on the formulation and implementation of economic policy, as well as on the internal and external effects of EMU completion. For Canada, the direct implications of the shift to the euro appear to be relatively modest, at least in the short run. Content Type(s): Publications, Bank of Canada Review articles Topic(s): Exchange rates, International topics, Recent economic and financial developments
November 14, 1997 Bank of Canada Review - Autumn 1997 Cover page The Puffins of Lundy The coin is part of the National Currency Collection at the Bank of Canada. Photography by James Zagon. Content Type(s): Publications, Bank of Canada Review
November 13, 1997 Statistical measures of the trend rate of inflation Bank of Canada Review - Autumn 1997 Thérèse Laflèche As a guide for the conduct of monetary policy, most central banks make use of a trend inflation index similar to that employed by the Bank of Canada: the CPI excluding food, energy, and the effect of indirect taxes. In addition to their basic reference index, some central banks regularly publish statistical measures of the trend rate of inflation. The method used for producing these measures is, for the most part, based on the hypothesis that extreme price fluctuations generally reflect temporary shocks to the inflation rate, rather than its underlying trend. In this paper, the author offers a broad survey of studies on the measurement of trend inflation that have been published by the Bank of Canada and presents the results of the most recent work on the subject. Particular attention is paid to two statistical measures that the Bank follows more closely than other measures; namely, the CPIX, a price index that excludes eight of the most volatile CPI components, and CPIW, a measure that retains all the components of the overall index but gives a lower weighting to the most volatile. Content Type(s): Publications, Bank of Canada Review articles Topic(s): Inflation and prices
November 12, 1997 Clearing and settlement systems and the Bank of Canada Bank of Canada Review - Autumn 1997 Clyde Goodlet Clearing and settlement systems are essential to the smooth functioning of a modern market-based economy such as Canada's. During the past decade, there have been significant efforts in Canada and abroad to improve electronic clearing and settlement systems that handle payments obligations, either uniquely or in conjunction with transactions related to the purchase and sale of a broad range of financial instruments such as debt, equity, foreign exchange, or derivatives. This article examines some of the risks faced by participants and end-users of these systems and reviews the Bank of Canada's role in relation to these systems. For a number of years, the Bank has been involved informally with major clearing and settlement systems with a view to ensuring that systemic risk is adequately controlled. In July 1996, the Payment Clearing and Settlement Act was proclaimed. This Act formalized the role of the Bank in the oversight of clearing and settlement systems for the purpose of controlling systemic risk. The article provides an overview of the Bank's responsibilities. It also describes certain new powers that the Act made available to the Bank that could be exercised in its dealings with clearing and settlement systems. Content Type(s): Publications, Bank of Canada Review articles Topic(s): Payment clearing and settlement systems
Modelling the Behaviour of U.S. Inventories: A Cointegration-Euler Approach Staff Working Paper 1997-19 Iris Claus Cyclical contractions are often referred to as inventory cycles, in part because movements in inventories can amplify cyclical fluctuations in output. An unanticipated slowing in demand generally leads to an unintended buildup of inventories: only with a lag do firms adjust production and their actual holding of inventories relative to the desired level. Content Type(s): Staff research, Staff working papers Topic(s): International topics JEL Code(s): E, E2, E22