Monetary Policy Stance Is Tighter than Federal Funds Rate

Choi, Jason; Doh, Taeyoung; Foerster, Andrew; Martinez, Zinnia

Journal Article

Monetary Policy Stance Is Tighter than Federal Funds Rate

Abstract: The Federal Reserve’s use of forward guidance and balance sheet policy means that monetary policy consists of more than changing the federal funds rate target. A proxy federal funds rate that incorporates data from financial markets can help assess the broader stance of monetary policy. This proxy measure shows that, since late 2021, monetary policy has been substantially tighter than the federal funds rate indicates. Tightening financial conditions are similar to what would be expected if the funds rate had exceeded 5¼% by September 2022.

Keywords: monetary policy; federal funds rate; forward guidance; balance sheet;