In Kohler (2002) we analyse coalition formation in monetary policy coordination games between n countries. We find that positive spillovers of the coalition formation process and the resulting free-rider problem limit the stable coalition size: since the coalition members are bound by the...

The paper presents a theory of the demand for money that combines a special case of the shopping time exchange economy with the cash-in-advance framework. The model predicts that both higher inflation and financial innovation - that reduces the cost of credit - induce agents to substitute away...

A two sector small open economy model developed by Corden (1991, 2002) is used to analyse the impact of sudden stops in capital inflows on an internal and external equilibrium and to explore the merits of disposing of the nominal exchange rate as policy tool in rectifying real exchange rate...

The weakness of the Japanese banking industry, suffering from acute problem of non-performing loans, prevents Japan from restoring sound growth rates despite having undertaken structural reforms and substantial fiscal policy efforts, and, through impairing transmission channels of monetary...

Poverty alleviation has been the main target of developmental projects world-wide. However, only a few ideas have stirred so much attention in the last two decades as that of the provision of microfinance through specialised institutions. This paper provides a survey of the vast literature that...

This paper develops a business cycle model with a financial intermediation sector. Financial wealth is defined as a predetermined state variable. Both, the additional sector of financial intermediaries and predetermination of financial wealth, affect the demand for real financial wealth. If real...

With the elimination of foreign exchange risk among the E.M.U.-member countries, the yield of, say, French benchmark government bonds (henceforth, the yield) should be equal to that of German bonds, plus some credit and liquidity premia. Since both premia are not likely to change substantially...

The enlargement of the European Monetary Union is likely to lead to an increase of uncertainty about the transmission of monetary policy for the larger union. Adding new members to the central bank council will in addition imply that the preferences of the enlarged council will be uncertain in...

Although most CIS and East Asian countries are de jure classified as free floaters, they de facto pursue (tight) dollar pegs. This paper emphasizes dollar denomination of short-term and long-term payment flows as reasons for exchange rate stabilization. Based on the analysis of "competitive...

This paper estimates and forecasts trend output and output gaps for the Euro area. In the monetary strategy of the European Central Bank (ECB), trend output is used to forecast a reference value for money. For this purpose, trend output must be forecasted as well. In this paper, a...