Monetary policy effects in times of negative interest rates

Interest rates have declined steadily over the last decades, recently turning negative in Europe and Japan. This column finds that negative interest rates have important implications for bank stock prices. When market interest rates are negative, but deposit rates are stuck at zero, monetary policy instruments that target the longer end of the yield curve are less detrimental to bank performance compared with instruments that target the shorter end. Therefore, quantitative easing and yield curve control deserve special consideration when interest rates are negative and further monetary accommodation is required.