
One of the most surprising recent developments in financial markets has been the emergence of negative yields on long-term debt. This development contradicts the notion of the zero lower bound which, until recently, was taken as a given in monetary policy discussions. In this paper, I look at the phenomenon of negative yields through the lens of Keynes's liquidity-preference theory of interest. I review changes to the financial market environment that have led to a shift in the liquidity of government bonds relative to bank deposits, and with this empirical context in place, I argue Keynes's theory is consistent with the phenomenon of negative bond yields. Finally, I consider Keynes's thought in relation to a negative interest-rate policy (NIRP) and argue that while he would be opposed to a NIRP as a temporary expedient, a mildly negative policy rate fits with his long-run vision for a world with a zero risk-free long-term interest rate.
| selected citations These citations are derived from selected sources. This is an alternative to the "Influence" indicator, which also reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically). | 0 | |
| popularity This indicator reflects the "current" impact/attention (the "hype") of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network. | Average | |
| influence This indicator reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically). | Average | |
| impulse This indicator reflects the initial momentum of an article directly after its publication, based on the underlying citation network. | Average |
