What you’ll learn6 learning objectivesChoose one objective for a focused lesson, or study the complete topic.3.5.1Monetary policy• Monetary policy is central bank control of money supply and interest rates• Goals include low stable inflation, low unemployment, reduced business cycle fluctuations, long-term growth conditions, and external balanceSyllabus objective3.5.2(HL)—Money creation and monetary tools• Commercial banks create money through lending• Central bank tools include open market operations, minimum reserve requirements, base or discount rate changes, and quantitative easingSyllabus objective3.5.3(HL)—Money market equilibrium• Money demand and money supply determine equilibrium interest rates• Diagram [HL]: equilibrium interest rate in the money marketSyllabus objective3.5.4Real and nominal interest rates• Nominal interest rates are not adjusted for inflation• Real interest rates adjust nominal rates for inflation• Calculation: real interest rate from dataSyllabus objective3.5.5Expansionary and contractionary monetary policy• Expansionary monetary policy can close deflationary or recessionary gaps• Contractionary monetary policy can close inflationary gaps• Diagram: AD/AS showing expansionary and contractionary monetary policySyllabus objective3.5.6Effectiveness of monetary policy• Constraints include near-zero interest rates and low consumer or business confidence• Strengths include incremental adjustment, flexibility, reversibility, and short time lags• Evaluation considers effects on growth, unemployment, and price stabilitySyllabus objective