Report
Patrick Artus

Whether or not private investment is crowded out is what should guide fiscal rules

If a government runs a large fiscal deficit and this leads to rising long-term interest rates and crowding-out of private sector investment, the fiscal deficit is dangerous, especially if it is due to current spending and not to effective public investment. But if the abundance of savings allows a large fiscal deficit to be posted without a rise in interest rates and without crowding-out of private investment, the low interest rates will maintain the government's solvency and the private sector will be able to continue to invest normally. This shows that it is impossible to define fiscal rules independently of an analysis of the situation regarding savings and the sensitivity of real interest rates to fiscal deficits. As the development over time has changed significantly on these two points, fiscal rules and recommendations should have changed as well .
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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Benito Berber
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