Pure Theory of the Federal Funds Rate
Stefan Homburg
Abstract
Open-access reader
Stefan Homburg
Abstract
Open-access reader
The effective federal funds rate is determined in a competitive interbank market, while the target federal funds rate represents a policy variable. This paper proposes a theory of the determination of the effective funds rate. According to the main result, the latter is a Lagrange multiplier that vanishes if excess reserves emerge. This is exactly what happened in the United States in September 2008. A final section considers interest on reserves.
A significance statement is not available in the OpenAlex record.
A contribution statement is not available in the OpenAlex record.
Method details are not available in the OpenAlex metadata.
Findings are not separately available in the OpenAlex metadata.
Limitations are not available in the OpenAlex metadata.
Application details are not available in the OpenAlex metadata.
The effective federal funds rate is determined in a competitive interbank market, while the target federal funds rate represents a policy variable. This paper proposes a theory of the determination of the effective funds rate. According to the main result, the latter is a Lagrange multiplier that vanishes if excess reserves emerge. This is exactly what happened in the United States in September 2008. A final section considers interest on reserves.
Key concepts: Federal funds, Interbank lending market, Excess reserves, Monetary economics, Economics, Global assets under management, Interest rate, Bank reserves