Monetary policy's effects during the financial crises in Brazil and Korea

Abstract

Abstract This paper looks at the effect of monetary policy changes on asset prices in the foreign exchange and equity markets of Brazil and Korea. We were searching for evidence whether monetary policy tightening may have had (adverse) counterproductive effects on such asset markets. In common with other authors we find only weak or sporadic evidence for this hypothesis. Using a theoretical model of financial market imperfections, we show that the failure to find monetary policy effectiveness during a crisis can come about not only because of the endogeneity caused by a ‘leaning against the wind’ policy reaction but also, independently, if there are large and correlated risk premia in the financial markets in which interest rates and determined. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.