Keyword: monetary policy
With the Eurozone economy weakening, many commentators are calling on the European Central Bank (ECB) to provide fresh stimulus. But what if the diverse monetary policy tools used by the ECB since the financial crisis have reached the limits of their effectiveness in promoting recovery? Could European governments contribute to stimulating the economy by increasing public spending or reducing taxes? And should fiscal policy now be focused more on raising demand by ‘loosening the public purse strings’ than on reducing public debt?
Recent nominations to join the board of governors of the Federal Reserve have raised concerns about political threats to the independence of monetary policy-making. The Economist has explained the dangers of weakened central banks, not only in the United States but also elsewhere in the world. And economists and economic journalists have questioned the economic ideas of President Trump’s latest Fed picks, both of whom have now withdrawn their names.