The response of money market funds to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Covid-19 Pandemic has increased the attention paid to money market funds. Using Covid-19 cases and a measure of lockdowns, shutdowns, etc., we analyze if money market fund investors and managers responded to the intensity of the pandemic. We ask whether or not the Federal Reserve implementation of the Money Market Mutual Fund Liquidity Facility (MMLF) had an effect on market participant behavior. We find that institutional prime investors responded significantly to the MMLF. Fund managers responded to the intensity of the pandemic but largely ignored the reduction in uncertainty created by the implementation of the MMLF.

Assessing the asymmetric effects of capital and money markets on economic growth in China.

This study examines the effects of capital and money market predictors on economic growth in China using non-linear autoregressive distributed lags and dynamic multiplier methods. Applying asymmetric techniques is based on the hypothesized linear effects of finance on growth. Confirming the asymmetric nexus and long-run bounds amid indicators, the results demonstrate that positive (negative) shocks from money market rate decrease (increase) economic growth, while negative (positive) shocks from real interest rate and total liquidity increase (decrease) growth in the short-run. Besides, the results reveal that the shocks (positive and negative) from market capitalization and stock market turnover increase economic growth, while the shocks from total stock traded decrease growth both in the short and long runs. Moreover, the results of error-correction reveal a steady speed of adjustment of the short-run asymmetries to their long-run equilibrium, implying that improved financial systems attract sound financial projects, leading to sustainable and long-run economic growth. In light of the findings, relevant policy recommendations are discussed.