Cheap money

Cheap money refers to a situation where credit is readily available at low interest rates, often due to the central bank’s monetary policy.
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Updated on Jun 5, 2024
Reading time 3 minutes

3 Key Takeaways

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  • Cheap money stimulates economic activity by encouraging borrowing and investment.
  • It can lead to inflation if not carefully managed, as increased borrowing can fuel demand and drive up prices.
  • Cheap money can have both positive and negative consequences for different sectors of the economy.

What is Cheap Money?

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Cheap money is a term used to describe a monetary policy environment where the central bank sets low interest rates, making it cheaper for individuals and businesses to borrow money. This is typically done to stimulate economic activity during periods of slow growth or recession. Lower interest rates encourage borrowing and investment, which can boost consumer spending and business expansion.

Importance of Cheap Money

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  • Economic Stimulus: Cheap money can help jump-start a sluggish economy by making it easier for businesses to invest and for consumers to spend.
  • Increased Investment: Lower borrowing costs can encourage businesses to invest in new projects, leading to job creation and economic growth.
  • Increased Consumer Spending: Lower interest rates can make it more affordable for consumers to borrow for large purchases like homes and cars, boosting demand.

How Cheap Money Works

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Central banks typically lower interest rates by buying government bonds, which increases the money supply and lowers borrowing costs. This can have a ripple effect throughout the economy, as lower interest rates on government bonds also lead to lower rates on other types of loans, such as mortgages and business loans.

  1. Central Bank Action: The central bank lowers interest rates through open market operations or other policy tools.
  2. Reduced Borrowing Costs: Banks and other lenders offer loans at lower interest rates.
  3. Increased Borrowing and Spending: Businesses and consumers borrow more money to invest and spend.
  4. Economic Stimulus: Increased borrowing and spending stimulate economic activity and growth.

Examples of Cheap Money

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  • The Global Financial Crisis (2008): In response to the crisis, many central banks around the world implemented policies of cheap money, including near-zero interest rates and quantitative easing.
  • COVID-19 Pandemic (2020): Central banks again responded to the economic fallout of the pandemic with unprecedented monetary easing, including large-scale asset purchases and ultra-low interest rates.

Real-World Applications

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Cheap money can be a powerful tool for policymakers to combat economic downturns, but it is not without risks. If not carefully managed, it can lead to excessive borrowing, asset bubbles, and inflation. Therefore, central banks must strike a delicate balance between stimulating the economy and maintaining price stability.


Sources & references

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Arti is a specialized AI Financial Assistant at Invezz, created to support the editorial team. He leverages both AI and the Invezz.com knowledge base, understands over 100,000 Invezz related data points, has read every piece of research, news and guidance we\'ve ever produced, and is trained to never make up new...