Ein ökonometrisches Quartalsmodell für den monetären Sektor der österreichischen Wirtschaft

Summary

This paper describes the development of a quarterly econometric model for the monetary sector oft the Austrian economy. The model consists of 8 behavioural equations and 3 definitions. The equations were estimated by OLS using absolute differences on an annual basis of quarterly time series data. The sample period covers 44 quarters (1^st quarter of 1960 to 4^th quarter of 1970).

Behavioural equations were estimated for three components of bank reserves: net free reserves, borrowing from the central bank and short-term net foreign position. The instruments of central bank policy (discount rate, minimum reserve requirements and open market operations), changes in net foreign assets of the central bank and bank deposits constitute important determinants of these reserve components. Central bank borrowing and net foreign assets appear to be planned aggregates, whereas net free reserves have a more residual character. A further equation explains banks' net investment in long-term fixed-interest securities (bonds). Another group of equations was estimated for non-banks' demand for money (defined in the wide sense). Separate equations exist for currency, demand deposits and (private) saving deposits (no satisfactory explanation could be found for time deposits). These monetary aggregates are determined as usual by income variables (the distribution of disposible income between wage and non-wage income) and by the interest rate (effective interest rate of newly issued bonds). Several additional variables improved the degree of explanation. Finally, total bank loans were found to be determined by fixed and inventory investment and by loans from abroad.

These structural equations form a linear recursive system which can be solved via reduced form. In order to study the properties of the model several tests were performed. The dynamic solution (values generated by the model were used for lagged endogenous variables) shows that errors do not cumulate in the course of time. As an, example of multiplier analysis the effects of a change in the net foreign reserve assets of the central bank on several endogenous variables are considered. Policy simulations are run for the cases of changes in the discount rate, in minimum reserve requirements and disposible income (e. g. as a result of a change in income tax rate).

From the satisfactory results of these tests we conclude that our model represents the structure of the Austrian monetary sector quite well.