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Virginia Tech

An Empirical Test of the Real Interest Rate in Germany, 1970-2000

Abstract

dc:description.abstract

This thesis is a empirical test of the constancy of the real rate of interest in Germany over the period of 1970 to 2000. The methodology, based on Mishkin (1981), employs Ordinary Least Squares regressions to search for correlation in movements of real rates with lagged inflation, time trends, and ten other variables that commonly appear in the literature. Overall results reject the hypothesis of the constancy of the real rate. The Fisher Effect (Fisher, 1930), that movements in nominal interest rates reflect changes in expected inflation, is found to be only moderate for Germany. The monetary policy implication is that nominal interest rates contain little information about real interest rates and therefore on the tightness of monetary policy. Overall lack of significance in the test results may (as Mishkin found) be because there is so little variation in real rate movements.

Degree

thesis:*
Name thesis:degree_name
Master of Arts
Level thesis:degree_level
masters
Discipline thesis:degree_discipline
Economics
Department dc:contributor.department
Economics
Grantor dc:publisher
Virginia Tech
Year dc:date.issued
2002

Author and committee

dc:creator, dc:contributor.*
Author dc:creator
  • Stubblebine, Michael A.
Chair dc:contributor.committeechair
  • Waud, Roger N.
Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember
  • Theroux, Richard
  • Lutton, Thomas J.

Subjects

dc:subject × 2

Rights

dc:rights
Statement dc:rights
  • In Copyright

Identifiers

dc:identifier.*
Dc Identifier Other
etd-08312002-195807
OAI identifier oai:identifier
oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/34866

Chain of custody

source
Harvested from
Virginia Tech
Base URL
vtechworks.lib.vt.edu/oai/request
Last updated
2026-07-22
Source record
OAI-PMH GetRecord
citation

Stubblebine, Michael A.. An Empirical Test of the Real Interest Rate in Germany, 1970-2000. masters thesis, Virginia Tech, 2002. http://hdl.handle.net/10919/34866