Open Market Operations - 15 Mints Seminar Notes

Open Market Operations - 15 Mints Seminar Notes

 

Introduction

• Open market operations (OMO) are actions a central bank takes to control the money supply, such as open market purchases and sales of short-term Treasury securities and other securities. 
• The Federal Reserve (Fed) uses open market operations to influence interest rates in the United States, specifically the federal funds rate used for interbank lending. 
• Buying securities puts money into the economy, which lowers interest rates and makes loans more available.
  

Open Market Operations

What are Open Market Operations?

The selling and buying of Treasury Bills and other Government Securities by a country's Central Bank in order to control the amount of money in the economy are known as open market operations.

Open market operations are a part of central banks' most important monetary control methods. When the central bank wants to reduce the market's money supply, it sells securities on the open market. The intention is to raise interest rates. This approach is also known as contractionary monetary policy.

Similarly, when the central bank wants to increase the amount of money on the market, it will buy securities. This action is being taken to lower interest rates and promote the nation's economic growth. This strategy is known as expansionary monetary policy.

Temporary Open Market

Operations (TOMOs)Repurchase Agreements, Reverse Repurchase Agreements

 

Types of Open Market Operations

The two types of open market activities are permanent open market operations and transient open market operations.

1. Permanent Open Market Operations (POMO): These involve the central bank of any country selling and buying securities or treasuries on the open market in order to change the money supply. It is a means of influencing the economy.

2. Temporary Open Market Operations: These are used to add or subtract reserves from or into the banking system on a short-term basis. Repurchase agreements, also known as Repos or reverse repurchase agreements, or RRPs, are used for short-term open market transactions.

Example: RBI's Role in Open Market Operation

The Reserve Bank of India conducted open market operations for the first time in 2019. In India, the RBI regulates OMOs by buying and selling G-Secs, government securities, in and out of the market. The main goal is to change the rupee's market liquidity conditions in the long term. When the RBI determines that there is more than adequate liquidity in the market, it sells securities and reduces rupee liquidity. On the other hand, the Reserve Bank of India purchases from the open market when it perceives a liquidity constraint.

Case Study

• Explain with an example of a federal bank engaging in outright open market operations. Understanding how the Federal Reserve of the United States sets monetary policy is critical to comprehending open market operations in India. The United States is the best open market operations example for us to understand the many nuances of free market activities. 
• In order to preserve the stability of the US economy and avoid the negative effects of inflation or deflation, the Federal Reserve Board establishes a goal known as the federal funds rate. Federal funds rates are the interest rates that banks charge one another for overnight loans. Due to this consistent flow of enormous sums of money, banks can ensure that their cash reserves are sufficient to meet client demands.
  
• In addition to serving as a benchmark for other interest rates, the federal funds rate determines the direction of a variety of interest rates, including those on credit cards, mortgages, and savings accounts.
  

Conclusion

• We could conclude that open market processes are critical components of an economy. They are required to maintain a consistent and controlled flow of funds into the market. 
• The Federal Reserve uses open market operations to raise or lower interest rates by buying and selling securities in the open market. They are one of the tools available of the Federal Reserve for accelerating or decelerating the nation's economic activity. Through open market operations, the Federal Reserve injects or removes money into the country's money supply.
  

Presented by

Arvind

CAT Student

MAGME MEDAL, HOSUR