Report
Patrick Artus

Euro zone: Are the benefits of zero or negative interest rates outweighed by their costs?

Short-term and long-term interest rates are zero or negative in the euro zone, for a number of reasons (the absence of inflation and the expansionary monetary policy, excess savings, strong demand for risk-free bonds). The benefit of zero or negative interest rates is that they ensure the solvency of all economic agents (governments, households, companies), even when they are overindebted, thereby preventing a recession. But is the cost of maintaining this across-the-board solvency - real estate bubbles, the weakening of banks, hardship for savers, switch of savings into banknotes and sight deposits - not too high? Zero or negative interest rates are not a free lunch that keep’s everyone solven t without cost.
Provider
Natixis
Natixis

Based across the world’s leading financial centers, Natixis CIB Research offers an integrated view of the markets. The team provides support to inform Natixis clients’ investment and hedging decisions across all asset classes.

 

Analysts
Patrick Artus

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