2.6.3

Monetary Policy & AD-AS Model

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The Effect of Monetary Policy on Aggregate Demand

Monetary policy affects interest rates and the available quantity of loanable funds, which in turn affects several components of aggregate demand.

Contractionary monetary policy

Contractionary monetary policy

  • Tight or contractionary monetary policy that leads to higher interest rates and a reduced quantity of loanable funds will reduce two components of aggregate demand:
    • Business investment will decline because it is less attractive for firms to borrow money, and even firms that have money will notice that, with higher interest rates, it is relatively more attractive to put those funds in a financial investment than to make an investment in physical capital.
    • In addition, higher interest rates will discourage consumer borrowing for big-ticket items like houses and cars.
Contractionary monetary policy affecting AD

Contractionary monetary policy affecting AD

  • The economy is originally producing above the potential GDP level of output at the equilibrium E0 and is experiencing pressures for an inflationary rise in the price level.
  • Contractionary monetary policy will shift aggregate demand to the left from AD0 to AD1, thus leading to a new equilibrium (E1) at the potential GDP level of output.
Expansionary monetary policy

Expansionary monetary policy

  • Loose or expansionary monetary policy leads to lower interest rates and a higher quantity of loanable funds.
  • This will tend to increase business investment and consumer borrowing for big-ticket items.
Expansionary monetary policy affecting AD

Expansionary monetary policy affecting AD

  • The economy is originally in a recession with the equilibrium output and price shown at E0.
  • Expansionary monetary policy will reduce interest rates and shift aggregate demand to the right from AD0 to AD1, leading to the new equilibrium (E1) at the potential GDP level of output with a relatively small rise in the price level.
The pathways of monetary policy explained

The pathways of monetary policy explained

  • In expansionary monetary policy, the central bank causes the supply of money and loanable funds to increase, which lowers the interest rate, stimulating additional borrowing for investment and consumption, and shifting aggregate demand right. The result is a higher price level and higher real GDP.
  • In contractionary monetary policy, the central bank causes the supply of money and credit in the economy to decrease, which raises the interest rate, discouraging borrowing for investment and consumption, and shifting aggregate demand left. The result is a lower price level and lower real GDP.
Jump to other topics
1

Microeconomics

2

Macroeconomics

2.1

The Level of Overall Economic Activity

2.2

Aggregate Demand & Aggregate Supply

2.3

Macroeconomic Objectives

2.4

Economic Growth, Poverty & Inequality

2.5

Fiscal Policy

2.6

Monetary Policy

2.7

Supply-Side Policies

3

The Global Economy

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