This paper proposes a new objective methodology for analysing the verbatim transcripts of central bank announcements. I apply a statistical method based on locally recurring word patterns, the descending hierarchical classification algorithm, to identify the characteristic themes of the monthly...

In Italy, in July 2003, a new highway code came into force. Among other things, it posits a «revolutionary » point-system driving licence. This paper analyses optimal punishment schemes and shows that a simpler policy intervention, such as a dynamic increase in the size of the pecuniary...

This paper examines the impact of conventional and unconventional monetary policy on energy prices using an event study with intraday data. Three measures for monetary policy surprises are used: 1) the surprise change to the current federal funds target rate, 2) the surprise component to the...

This paper investigates the effects of Federal Reserve's decisions and statements on U.S. stock and volatility indices (Dow Jones Industrial Average, NASDAQ 100, S&P 500, and VIX) using a high-frequency event-study analysis. I find that both the surprise component of policy actions and official...

This paper investigates the impact of US monetary policy on the level and volatility of exchange rates using an event study with intraday data for five currencies (the US dollar exchange rate versus the euro, the Canadian dollar, the British pound, the Swiss franc, and the Japanese yen). I...

This paper employs exogenous measures of monetary policy shocks directly derived from financial market information to investigate how the economy responds to the surprise component of monetary policy decisions as opposed to central bank announcements about future movements in the policy rate. We...