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Journal of Banking & Finance Vol. 87 2018

Regional banking instability and FOMC voting

Stefan Eichler1,2; Tom Lähner3; Felix Noth1,4

1 Halle Institute for Economic Research · 2 Technische Universität Dresden · 3 Leibniz University Hannover · 4 Otto-von-Guericke-Universität Magdeburg

Abstract

This study analyzes if regionally affiliated Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) members take their districts’ regional banking sector instability into account when they vote. Considering the period 1979–2010, we find that a deterioration in a district's bank health increases the probability that this district's representative in the FOMC votes to ease interest rates. According to member-specific characteristics, the effect of regional banking sector instability on FOMC voting behavior is most pronounced for Bank presidents (as opposed to Governors) and FOMC members who have career backgrounds in the financial industry or who represent a district with a large banking sector.

DOI
10.1016/j.jbankfin.2017.10.011
Volume
87
Pages
282-292
Language
en
Sources
openalex crossref bibtex:phds-export.bib

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