

Monetary conditions tightness indices for Russia
https://doi.org/10.32609/0042-8736-2025-9-62-87
Abstract
This paper develops a system for assessing the tightness of monetary conditions in Russia using monetary-conditions indices. These indices make it possible to study the pass-through of the monetary policy impulse across key channels of the transmission mechanism and to identify shocks to monetary conditions. Short-term money market rates, which are most sensitive to changes in the central bank’s policy rate, affect mediumand long-term rates to varying degrees. This heterogeneity is driven, among other factors, by expectations and sentiment of participants in financial and money markets, market volatility, fiscal policy, and external shocks. To trace the operation of the transmission mechanism, we construct indices based on a broad set of economic variables that characterize monetary conditions. The information set includes indicators reflecting price and non-price conditions, as well as survey-based measures—market participants’ assessments of current conditions. We build a system of indices to account for structural changes and to identify shocks to monetary conditions. The results align well with empirical patterns in historical data, indicating the feasibility of real-time monitoring of the tightness of monetary conditions and the impact of external shocks on their dynamics.
Keywords
JEL: C43, E37, E44, E5, G1
About the Authors
M. I. FinaginRussian Federation
Matvey I. Finagin
Moscow
V. Т. Inogamova
Russian Federation
Valeria T. Inogamova
Moscow
A. A. Gracheva
Russian Federation
Anna A. Gracheva
Moscow
References
1. Egorov A. (2023). Monetary conditions tightness indicator. Moscow: Bank of Russia. (In Russian).
2. Alessandri P., Mumtaz H. (2017). Financial conditions and density forecasts for US output and inflation. Review of Economic Dynamics, Vol. 24, pp. 66—78. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.red.2017.01.003
3. Angelopoulou E., Balfoussia H., Gibson H. D. (2014). Building a financial conditions index for the euro area and selected euro area countries: What does it tell us about the crisis? Economic Modelling, Vol. 38, pp. 392—403. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.econmod.2014.01.013
4. IMF (2017). Are countries losing control of domestic financial conditions? In: Global financial stability report: Getting the policy mix right. Washington, DC: International Monetary Fund, pp 83—108.
5. Bê Duc L., de Bondt G., Calza A., Marqués-Ibáñez D., van Rixten A., Scopel S. (2005). Financing conditions in the euro area. ECB Occasional Paper, No. 37. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.807410
6. Bernanke B. S., Gertler M. (1995). Inside the black box: The credit channel of monetary policy transmission. Journal of Economic Рerspectives, Vol. 9, No. 4, pp. 27—48. https://doi.org/10.3386/w5146
7. Blot C., Levieuge G. (2008). Are MCIs good indicators of economic activity? Evidence from the G7 countries. Documents de Travail de l’OFCE, No. 2008-07. Observatoire Francais des Conjonctures Economiques.
8. Brave S. A., Butters R. A. (2011). Monitoring financial stability: A financial conditions index approach. Economic Perspectives, Vol. 35, No. 1, pp. 22—43.
9. Brave S., Butters R. A. (2012). Diagnosing the financial system: Financial conditions and financial stress. International Journal of Central Banking, Vol. 8, No. 2, pp. 191—239.
10. Bulut U. (2016). Do financial conditions have a predictive power on inflation in Turkey? International Journal of Economics and Financial Issues, Vol. 6, No. 2, pp. 621—628.
11. Capasso S., Napolitano O., Viveros Jiménez A. L. (2023). The Financial Conditions Index as an additional tool for policy-makers in developing countries: The Mexican case. Journal of Economic Studies, Vol. 50, No. 8, pp. 1647—1671. https://doi.org/10.1108/JES-04-2022-0216
12. Charleroy R., Stemmer M. A. (2014). An emerging market financial conditions index: A VAR approach. Documents de travail du Centre d’Economie de la Sorbonne, No. 14068. Université Panthéon-Sorbonne (Paris 1), Centre d’Economie de la Sorbonne.
13. Chow H. K. (2013). Forecasting inflation with a financial conditions index: The case of Singapore. Annals of Financial Economics, Vol. 8, No. 2, article 1350009. https:// doi.org/10.1142/S2010495213500097
14. Doz C., Giannone D., Reichlin L. (2011). A two-step estimator for large approximate dynamic factor models based on Kalman filtering. Journal of Econometrics, Vol. 164, No. 1, pp. 188—205. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jeconom.2011.02.012
15. Dudley W., Hatzius J. (2000). The Goldman Sachs financial conditions index: Тhe right tool for a new monetary policy regime. New York: Goldman Sachs.
16. Eika K. H., Ericsson N. R., Nymoen R. (1996). Hazards in implementing a monetary conditions index. Oxford Bulletin of Economics and Statistics, Vol. 58, No. 4, pp. 765—790. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-0084.1996.mp58004009.x
17. English W., Tsatsaronis K., Zoli E. (2005). Assessing the predictive power of measures of financial conditions for macroeconomic variables. In: Investigating the relationship between the financial and real economy. BIS Paper, No. 22, pp. 228—252.
18. Ericsson N. R., Kerbeshian N. A., Nymoen R. (1997). Understanding a monetary conditions index. Paper presented at the November 1997 meeting of the Canadian Macroeconomic Study Group, Toronto, Canada.
19. Ferreira T. R. T., Shousha S. (2023). Determinants of global neutral interest rates. Journal of International Economics, Vol. 145, article 103833. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jinteco.2023.103833
20. Freedman C. (1994). The use of indicators and of the monetary conditions index in Canada. In: T. J. T. Baliño, C. Cottarelli (eds.). Frameworks for monetary stability: Policy issues and country experiences. Washington, DC: International Monetary Fund, pp. 458—476.
21. Gauthier C., Graham C., Liu Y. (2004). Financial conditions indexes for Canada. Bank of Canada Staff Working Paper, No. 2004-22.
22. Gerlach S., Smets F. (2000). MCIs and monetary policy. European Economic Review, Vol. 44, No. 9, pp. 1677—1700. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0014-2921(99)00013-6
23. Gómez E., Murcia A., Zamudio N. (2011). Financial conditions index: Early and leading indicator for Colombia. Ensayos sobre Politica Economica, Vol. 29, No. 66, pp. 174—221. https://doi.org/10.32468/Espe.6605
24. Gonzales M., Bautista M. S. G. (2013). Financial conditions indexes for Asian economies. Asian Development Bank Economics Working Paper Series, No. 333. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2221736
25. Goodhart C., Hofman B. (2001). Asset prices, financial conditions, and the transmission of monetary policy. Paper prepared for the conference on “Asset Prices, Exchange Rates, and Monetary Policy”, Stanford University, March 2—3.
26. Hamilton J. D., Xi J. (2024). Principal component analysis for nonstationary series. National Bureau of Economic Research, No. w32068. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4702282
27. 4Hatzius J., Hooper P., Mishkin F. S., Schoenholtz K. L., Watson M. W. (2010). Financial conditions indexes: A fresh look after the financial crisis. NBER Working Paper, No. w16150. https://doi.org/10.3386/w16150
28. Hatzius J., Stehn S. J. (2018). The case for a financial conditions index. Goldman Sachs Global Economics, No. 16.
29. Hofman D. A (2011). Financial Conditions Index for Russia. IMF Country Report, No. 11/295.
30. Ioannidou V., Ongena S., Peydrу J. L. (2009). Monetary policy and subprime lending: A tall tale of low federal funds rates, hazardous loans and reduced loan spreads. European Banking Centre Discussion Paper, No. 45.
31. Koop G., Korobilis D. (2014). A new index of financial conditions. European Economic Review, Vol. 71, pp. 101—116. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.euroecorev.2014.07.002
32. Matheson T. D. (2012). Financial conditions indexes for the United States and euro area. Economics Letters, Vol. 115, No. 3, pp. 441—446. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.econlet.2011.12.119
33. Mayes D. G., Virén M. (2001). Financial conditions indexes. Bank of Finland Discussion Paper, No. 17. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.315489
34. McCririck R., Rees D. (2017). The neutral interest rate. RBA Bulletin, September, pp. 9—18.
35. Montador B. (1995). The implementation of monetary policy in Canada. Canadian Public Policy / Analyse de Politiques, Vol. 21, No. 1, pp. 107—120. https://doi.org/10.2307/3552047
36. Morana C. (2021). A new macro-financial condition index for the euro area. Econometrics and Statistics, Vol. 29, No. C, pp. 64—87. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecosta.2021.09.005
37. Pescatori M. A., Turunen M. J. (2015). Lower for longer: Neutral rates in the United States. IMF Working Papers, No. 2015/135. https://doi.org/10.5089/9781513508382.001
38. Poon W. C. (2010). Augmented MCI: An indicator of monetary policy stance for ASEAN-5. Monash Economics Working Papers, No. 25-10. Monash University, Department of Economics.
39. Sandahl J. F., Holmfeldt M., Rydén A., Strömqvist M. (2011). An index of financial stress for Sweden. Sveriges Riksbank Economic Review, Vol. 2, pp. 49—67.
40. Swiston M. A. (2008). A U.S. financial conditions index: Putting credit where credit is due. IMF Working Papers, No. 2008/161.
41. Wacker K. M., Lodge D., Nicoletti G. (2014). Measuring financial conditions in major non-euro area economies. ECB Working Paper Series, No. 1743. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2528401
42. Zhemkov M. (2022). Assessment of monthly GDP growth using temporal disaggregation methods. Russian Journal of Money and Finance, Vol. 81, No. 2, pp. 79—104.
Supplementary files
Review
For citations:
Finagin M.I., Inogamova V.Т., Gracheva A.A. Monetary conditions tightness indices for Russia. Voprosy Ekonomiki. 2025;(9):62-87. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.32609/0042-8736-2025-9-62-87