Building an effective financial stability policy framework: lessons from the post-crisis decade

A decade after the global financial crisis, the task of building a financial stability policy framework has unfinished business. Fundamental questions about the goal of financial stability and the policies to achieve it were sidelined by the excessive focus on the minutiae of macroprudential policy. Increased responsibilities were given to central banks without a proper discussion about the right degree of delegation and accountability. A comprehensive framework for financial stability should have three pillars: macroprudential policy, microprudential supervision, and financial safety nets. Sufficient operational independence should be given to the agency(ies) responsible for financial stability but determining the goal, institutional architecture, and agency assignments, resolving any policy tradeoffs, and ensuring accountability should be a political responsibility. Even with the best framework, however, given the variety of structural, behavioral, and political economy factors affecting financial stability and our limited understanding of the financial system, securing this goal will remain a challenge

Labor Market Segmentation in a Two-Sector Model of an Open Economy

The effects of labor market segmentation in a two-sector open economy model are examined. The model demonstrates how the structure of the labor market affects the real exchange rate, and is then used to examine the effects of two common labor market policies: increasing the degree of primary market coverage, and implementing wage restraint in the primary market. Increasing coverage increases unemployment and leads to a real appreciation. Real wage restraint, however, reduces unemployment and has ambiguous but probably small effects on the real exchange rate.

Equilibria with Unemployment in Segmented Labor Markets

The paper proves four theorems in an n-sector model of a segmented labor market, with search costs, and a continuum of workers with different reservation wages, who can apply to any number of sectors. The main conclusions are that: (i) an equilibrium with unemployment always exists; and (ii) some of the unemployment is involuntary, in the sense that it consists of workers with reservation wages below the equilibrium wage in the secondary market. These conclusions hold in the case of both separate and non-separate markets.

The G20 has been criticised for its pandemic response. is that fair?

The G20 has been criticised for a sluggish and inadequate response to the pandemic – in contrast to its efforts following the financial crisis. Dimitri Demekas (LSE) says the comparison is misleading. Less ambitious rhetoric and more pragmatic goals would serve the G20 and the global community better. Global shock, fragmented response The COVID-19 pandemic ... Continue