Monday quiz

Kickstart the week with a test of your investment knowledge; this week's focus is on monetary policy and the theory behind it

Holly Cook | 27-07-09 | E-mail Article

1. During a recession, appropriate monetary policy might be offset by:
a) an increase in interest rates that increases the velocity of money

b) a decrease in interest rates that increases the velocity of money

c) an increase in interest rates that decreases the velocity of money

d) a decrease in interest rates that decreases the velocity of money

2. If the money supply and the velocity of money move in opposite directions:
a) the effectiveness of monetary policy will be enhanced

b) monetary policy will be more effective in combating recessions than in slowing expansions

c) monetary policy will be more effective in slowing expansions than in combating recessions

d) the effectiveness of monetary policy will be weakened

3. If the economy is in a recession and is running a trade deficit, government purchases of bonds from the public will in theory:
a) expand the economy and reduce the trade deficit

b) expand the economy but worsen the trade deficit

c) contract the economy further but reduce the trade deficit

d) contract the economy and worsen the trade deficit

Answers
1. d) a decrease in interest rates that decreases the velocity of money. An expansion of the money supply in a recession will reduce interest rates. However, these lower rates may induce the public to hold more money, thereby reducing its velocity.

2. d) the effectiveness of monetary policy will be weakened. Consider an expansionary policy. If the velocity of money decreases, total yearly expenditures (velocity times the money supply) will be lower than otherwise. A similar argument holds for a contractionary policy.

3. a) expand the economy and reduce the trade deficit. Government bond purchases will raise the price of bonds and reduce interest rates, increasing investment spending and aggregate demand. At the same time, lower interest rates will cause the pound to fall in value, making the country's exports less expensive and its imports more expensive.

Check the Morningstar glossary for more investment terminology and definitions.

Holly Cook is Site Editor of Morningstar.co.uk and Hemscott.com. She would like to hear from you but cannot give financial advice. You can contact the author via this feedback form.
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