DP2508 The Monetary Transmission Mechanism: Evidence from the Industries of Five OECD Countries

Author(s):	Luca Dedola, Francesco Lippi
Publication Date:	July 2000
Keyword(s):	Balance Sheet Data, Credit Channel, Interest Rate Channel, Monetary Policy Transmission
JEL(s):	E32, E52, G32
Programme Areas:	International Macroeconomics
Link to this Page:	cepr.org/active/publications/discussion_papers/dp.php?dpno=2508

This paper presents new evidence on the monetary transmission mechanism based on the effects that unexpected monetary policy shocks exert on the activity of 21 manufacturing industries in 5 OECD countries (France, Germany, Italy, UK and USA). The goal is twofold. First, documenting the cross-industry heterogeneity of monetary policy effects. Second, explaining this heterogeneity in terms of some microeconomic characteristics which are suggested by theory, using an original firm-level database. The results highlight the following empirical regularities: (i) a significant cross-industry heterogeneity of policy effects; (ii) a cross-industry distribution of policy effects similar across countries. These patterns are systematically related to the industry output durability and investment-intensity and to measures of firms' borrowing capacity, size, and interest payment burden. The ?credit channel? variables are quantitatively as significant as the traditional ones (durability, investment intensity) in explaining the differential impact of monetary policy.