This paper seeks to present two Dynamic Stochastic General Equilibrium models – Curdia e Woodford (2009) e De Graeve (2007) – that allows identify mechanisms in which financial frictions can influence business cycles and domestic monetary policies. We extend the basic traditional New Keynesian model that considers the role of financial intermediation in the credit markets. Models in which a credit spreads is introduced allows for a time-varying wedge between the interest rate available to households on their savings and the interest rate at which it is possible to borrow These spreads are not constant over time, especially in periods of financial stress. Variations in the financial conditions, indicated by increases ou decreases in the size of credit spreads, implies consequences both for the equilibrium relation between the policy rate and aggregate expenditure and for the relation between real activity and inflation.

The objective of this thesis is to examine real exchange rate volatility, with a particular focus on investigating the causes of exchange rate jumps. While the predominant approach in the literature is to examine the interaction between nominal rigidities and nominal shocks, this thesis examines the volatility that arises from real rigidities and shocks. Trying to better understand the transmission of real shocks to the exchange rate is a worthwhile task, given the substantial evidence that these shocks and rigidities are important for explaining other economic fluctuations. This thesis develops theoretical models that examine the contributions of specific real rigidities to exchange rate volatility. Chapter 1 introduces our baseline specification - a frictionless model, with the exception of capital adjustment costs. This baseline generates very mild exchange rate fluctuations. Additional rigidities are required to generate volatility of the magnitude that is typically observed. Chapter 2 finds that introducing imperfect asset substitutability - specifically, home asset bias - goes a little towards achieving this. When investors are biased, the exchange rate must adjust by more to equilibrate asset markets. This greater burden of adjustment on the exchange rate along the short run path typically translates to larger jumps after shocks. Similarly, Chapter 3 shows that augmenting the baseline with banks and financial frictions raises exchange rate volatility. The key point is that, in the presence of financial frictions, there is a risk premium that widens after negative shocks, increasing the required adjustment of the exchange rate. A fourth chapter extends Chapter 3 and shows that unconventional credit policy, while beneficial in some respects, nonetheless entails nontrivial costs because it invites moral hazard by encouraging banks to be more highly leveraged, which increases exchange rate and consumption volatility. So, the overall message is that, in the presence of plausible real frictions - including (i) capital adjustment costs, (ii) imperfect asset substitutability, and (iii) financial frictions - real shocks can generate a plausibly significant degree of real exchange rate volatility. This thus posits an additional explanation of exchange rate jumps that complements the predominantly monetary literature.

This paper evaluates the monetary and macroprudential policies that mitigate the procyclicality arising from the interlinkages between current account deficits and financial vulnerabilities. We develop a two-country dynamic stochastic general equilibrium (DSGE) model with heterogeneous households and collateralised debt. The model predicts that external shocks are important in driving current account deficits that are coupled with run-ups in house prices and household debt. In this context, optimal policy features an interest-rate response to credit and a LTV ratio that countercyclically responds to house price dynamics. By allowing an interest-rate response to changes in financial variables, the monetary policy authority improves social welfare, because of the large welfare gains accrued to the Savers. The additional use of a countercyclical LTV ratio that responds to house prices, increases the ability of borrowers to smooth consumption over the cycle and is Pareto improving. Domestic and foreign shocks account for a similar fraction of the welfare gains delivered by such a policy. (authors' abstract)

Diese Arbeit befasst sich mit der Rolle der Unternehmenskreditfinanzierung für die Realwirtschaft. Im ersten Teil untersuche ich die Entwicklung der externen Finanzierungsprämien in den USA in Folge von ökonomischen Schocks und finde, dass die Prämie antizyklisch auf Angebots- und monetäre Schocks reagiert. Im zweiten Teil analysiere ich mit Hilfe eines DSGE-Modells, wie die Zusammenfassung aus Bankkreditfinanzierung und Anleihefinanzierung die Transmission von ökonomischen Schocks beeinflusst. Angenommen, dass große Unternehmen größtenteils Anleihenmärkte verwenden und kleine Unternehmen auf Bankkredite angewiesen sind, zeigt das Modell, dass die Zusammensetzung des Unternehmenskreditfinanzierung relevant für die Verbreitung von Schocks ist. Negative monetäre Schocks und Finanzschocks beeinträchtigen die Kreditvergabe von fragilen Banken, die in Folge die Bankkredite an kleine Unternehmen kürzen. Unternehmen, die auf Anleihenfinanzierung zurückgreifen können, können sich in Zeiten steigender Prämien über Unternehmensanleihen refinanzieren. Daher reduzieren diese Unternehmen nicht in so starken Ausmaß ihre Investitionen wie kleine Firmen. Als Folge davon, ist eine Volkswirtschaft, die nur auf Bankkredite angewiesen ist, stärker von Schocks betroffen als eine Volkswirtschaft mit sowohl Bank- als auch Anleihenfinanzierung. Abschließend wird das Modell verwendet, um eine Kombination konventioneller und unkoventioneller Geldpolitik sowie makroprudentieller Politik in einer Ökonomie mit segmentierten Kreditmärkten zu evaluieren. Es wird gezeigt, dass der optimale Politikmix die höchsten Wohlfahrtsgewinne in Folge von Finanzschocks erreicht. / This thesis examines the role of corporate debt financing for the real economy. First, I study the conditional dynamics of the external finance premium using US data and find that the premium is countercyclical following supply and monetary policy shocks. Second, I analyze to which extent bank and bond financing affect the transmission of economic shocks in the context of a DSGE model. To the extent that large firms predominantly use capital market finance, whereas small firms rely on bank loans, the model predicts that the composition of corporate debt is relevant for the propagation of shocks. Contractionary monetary policy and financial shocks impair the ability of leveraged banks to provide loans, which adversely affects small firms. Bond financing dependent firms can nevertheless issue bonds in times of rising bond finance premia. These firms do not reduce their investments as strongly as bank financing dependent firms. As a consequence, the economy that relies only on bank credit is affected more by shocks than the economy with bank and bond finance. Finally, the model is used to evaluate the optimal mix of conventional, unconventional and macroprudential policies for segmented credit markets. I find that the optimal policy mix attains the highest welfare gains following financial shocks.

Submitted by Giovanni Tondin Merlin (gtmerlin@hotmail.com) on 2018-04-26T20:30:59Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Giovanni_Merlin_PhdThesis.pdf: 2320745 bytes, checksum: 5570b1e9282fcd00b0c9bc7c8cd2f61c (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Katia Menezes de Souza (katia.menezes@fgv.br) on 2018-04-26T20:49:27Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 Giovanni_Merlin_PhdThesis.pdf: 2320745 bytes, checksum: 5570b1e9282fcd00b0c9bc7c8cd2f61c (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Suzane Guimarães (suzane.guimaraes@fgv.br) on 2018-04-27T13:42:28Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 Giovanni_Merlin_PhdThesis.pdf: 2320745 bytes, checksum: 5570b1e9282fcd00b0c9bc7c8cd2f61c (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2018-04-27T13:42:29Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Giovanni_Merlin_PhdThesis.pdf: 2320745 bytes, checksum: 5570b1e9282fcd00b0c9bc7c8cd2f61c (MD5) Previous issue date: 2018-04-12 / This thesis is composed of three essays related to heterogeneous agent models with entrepreneurship. The first chapter adds aggregate uncertainty in a heterogeneous agent model with entrepreneurship and financial frictions, in order to evaluate the welfare effects of business cycles. The second chapter quantitatively assess the impact of The Brazilian Development Bank on the Brazilian economy, through subsidized credit supply. The third chapter uses a heterogeneous agent model to estimate effects of changes in the Brazilian tax composition on development and welfare. / Essa tese é composta por três ensaios cujo elemento em comum é a utilização de modelos de agentes heterogêneos com empreendedorismo. O primeiro capítulo adiciona incerteza agregada em um modelo de agentes heterogêneos com empreendedorismo e fricções financeiras, com o intuito de avaliar os efeitos de bem-estar dos ciclos de negócios. O segundo capítulo mensura os impactos do BNDES na economia Brasileira, através da oferta de crédito subsidiado. O terceiro capítulo utiliza um modelo de agentes heterogêneos para estimar os efeitos da composição tarifária no Brasil sobre o desenvolvimento e bem-estar.

This paper evaluates the monetary and macroprudential policies that mitigate the procyclicality arising from the interlinkages between current account deficits and financial vulnerabilities. We develop a two-country dynamic stochastic general equilibrium (DSGE) model with heterogeneous households and collateralised debt. The model predicts that external shocks are important in driving current account deficits that are coupled with run-ups in house prices and household debt. In this context, optimal policy features an interest-rate response to credit and a LTV ratio that countercyclically responds to house price dynamics. By allowing an interest-rate response to changes in financial variables, the monetary policy authority improves social welfare, because of the large welfare gains accrued to the savers. The additional use of a countercyclical LTV ratio that responds to house prices, increases the ability of borrowers to smooth consumption over the cycle and is Pareto improving. Domestic and foreign shocks account for a similar fraction of the welfare gains delivered by such a policy. (authors' abstract) / Series: Department of Economics Working Paper Series

Submitted by Daniel Albuquerque Maranhão de Lima (daniel.maranhao.lima@gmail.com) on 2016-06-01T02:19:51Z No. of bitstreams: 1 output.pdf: 429570 bytes, checksum: 0fe975444d41f0be6bc01f2cb18d4a2d (MD5) / Rejected by Letícia Monteiro de Souza (leticia.dsouza@fgv.br), reason: Prezado Daniel, Favor alterar seu trabalho de acordo com as normas ABNT: 1 - cabeçalho da capa: O nome da fundação e também da escola devem constar. Favor verificar trabalho de seus outros amigos para comparação. Atenciosamente, Letícia Monteiro 3799-3631 on 2016-06-01T12:09:37Z (GMT) / Submitted by Daniel Albuquerque Maranhão de Lima (daniel.maranhao.lima@gmail.com) on 2016-06-02T02:11:45Z No. of bitstreams: 1 output.pdf: 429714 bytes, checksum: a733d2b7e509a82de2f56129c3f6527e (MD5) / Rejected by Suzinei Teles Garcia Garcia (suzinei.garcia@fgv.br), reason: Bom dia Daniel, Faltou a página de AGRADECIMENTOS após a folha de assinaturas - deve agradecer pelo menos seu orientador. Na capa e contra capa descer um pouco seu nome deixa mais no meio da página. Grata. Suzi 3799-7876 on 2016-06-02T11:59:26Z (GMT) / Submitted by Daniel Albuquerque Maranhão de Lima (daniel.maranhao.lima@gmail.com) on 2016-06-03T01:24:49Z No. of bitstreams: 1 diss.pdf: 430517 bytes, checksum: a8e7f210288cce77003117755a089a5b (MD5) / Rejected by Letícia Monteiro de Souza (leticia.dsouza@fgv.br), reason: Prezado Daniel, Favor alterar seu trabalho de acordo com as normas ABNT: 1- como os agradecimentos são em português, o título também deverá ser. Caso queira deixar o em inglês, favor deixar o texto na língua respectiva. Atenciosamente, Letícia Monteiro 3799-3631 on 2016-06-03T12:23:46Z (GMT) / Submitted by Daniel Albuquerque Maranhão de Lima (daniel.maranhao.lima@gmail.com) on 2016-06-03T12:29:32Z No. of bitstreams: 1 dissertação.pdf: 430340 bytes, checksum: de324c6aaec40365c016a31d8593c460 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Letícia Monteiro de Souza (leticia.dsouza@fgv.br) on 2016-06-03T12:33:10Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 dissertação.pdf: 430340 bytes, checksum: de324c6aaec40365c016a31d8593c460 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-06-03T12:37:54Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 dissertação.pdf: 430340 bytes, checksum: de324c6aaec40365c016a31d8593c460 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-05-05 / Logo após à crise financeira de 2007-08 o Federal Reserve interveio para tentar controlar a recessão. No entanto, ele não apenas baixou os juros, como também adotou políticas não-convencionais, incluindo o empréstimo direto para empresas em mercados de crédito de alto nível. Estas novas medidas foram controversas e alguns opositores protestaram porque elas estariam ajudando disproporcionalmente aquelas pessoas ligadas ao sistema financeiro que já eram ricas. Nós utilizamos um modelo DSGE para a análise de políticas monetária não convencional e introduzimos dois tipos distintos de agentes, capitalistas e trabalhadores, para investigar o seu impacto distributivo. Nós encontramos que a política de crédito to Fed foi bem sucedida no mercado de trabalho, o que ajuda mais os trabalhadores, e introduziu um novo competidor no mercado bancário, o governo, o que prejudica mais os capitalistas. Logo, nós encontramos que a política de crédito diminuiu a desigualdade nos EUA. / In the aftermath of the 2007-08 financial crisis the Federal Reserve intervened to help fight the recession. However, it not only lowered interest rates, but also put in practice unconventional measures, including direct lending to companies in high-grade credit markets. These new measures were controversial and some opponents protested it for helping disproportionately the already wealthy individuals tied to the financial sector. We build on a conventional DSGE model for unconventional monetary policy evaluation and introduce two distinct types of agents, capitalists and workers, to assess its distributive impact. We find that the credit policy by the Fed was effective in labor markets, which helps relatively more workers, and introduced a new competitor to banks, the government, which hurts capitalists more. Thus, we find that the credit policy lowered inequality in the US.

Submitted by Fernanda Corrêa Fernandes (ffernandes@fgvmail.br) on 2017-06-22T21:17:19Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Tese Arq.pdf: 1074006 bytes, checksum: 54d5b0fe4ae8e8358bfb2a68be8a60cb (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by GILSON ROCHA MIRANDA (gilson.miranda@fgv.br) on 2017-06-27T14:31:36Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 Tese Arq.pdf: 1074006 bytes, checksum: 54d5b0fe4ae8e8358bfb2a68be8a60cb (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-07-04T19:21:59Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Tese Arq.pdf: 1074006 bytes, checksum: 54d5b0fe4ae8e8358bfb2a68be8a60cb (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-11-26 / This thesis is composed by two chapters. In the first one, I develop a framework to quantify the role of sectoral heterogeneity, with regard to credit access, in explaining the effects of financial integration. Financial frictions generate a misallocation of resources, implying a low total factor productivity and output per worker in emerging economies. Given the existence of sectoral heterogeneity in credit access, these frictions also have disproportionate effects on sectoral variables, as well as on exchange rate. These elements are able to explain some development regularities, as the higher relative price of tradable goods and the relative unproductive tradable goods sector in poor countries. Moreover, I show that domestic and external financial integration have different impacts on the economy. While the former is vital to reduce the misallocation of resources, the last is crucial to reduce the domestic interest rate and stimulate a deeper engagement of entrepreneurs in real activity. I quantify these results and show that financial integration has nontrivial effects on aggregate/sector-level productivity, capital accumulation and output per worker. In the second chapter, in turn, I analyse the propagation of shocks throughout a financial network, identifying the relation between heterogeneity of institutions and the resilience of the system. I distinguish banks according to their size and degree of centrality in order to form a core-periphery network, similar to those empirically observed. Regarding the effects of unexpected shocks, I argue that connections work as a way of propagation of losses and prove the possibility of contagion in equilibrium. Unlike the intuitive perception, I point out that a gap between the size of central and peripheral agents is required for the former to achieve the expected systemic relevance. When it occurs, the presence of core banks is crucial for easing the propagation of direct losses, as well as for protecting the system against peripheral shocks. The policy implications are clear in such cases. Monetary authorities do not need to rescue peripheral banks in order to avoid contagion. I conclude by analysing the relative resilience of some networks. I show that the core-periphery network is more resilient than the circular one. Since the last is mostly used, the contagion risk might be overestimated in literature. / Essa tese é composta por dois capítulos. No primeiro, desenvolvo um modelo para quantificar o papel da heterogeneidade setorial, em relação ao acesso a crédito, na determinação dos efeitos da integração financeira. Fricções financeiras geram má-alocação de recursos, resultando em baixa produtividade e produto por trabalhador em economias emergentes. Dada a existência de heterogeneidade setorial no acesso a crédito, essas fricções apresentam efeitos desproporcionais em variáveis setoriais, assim como na taxa de câmbio. Esses elementos são capazes de explicar regularidades do desenvolvimento, como o elevado preço relativo dos bens comercializáveis e a baixa produtividade relativa desse setor nos países em desenvolvimento. Adicionalmente, mostro que a integração doméstica e externa apresentam diferentes impactos na economia. Enquanto a primeira é vital para reduzir a má-alocação de recursos, a segunda é crucial para reduzir a taxa de juros doméstica e estimular um maior engajamento dos agentes na economia real. Quantifico esses resultados e mostro que a integração financeira apresenta efeitos não triviais na produtividade agregada/setorial, na acumulação de capital e no produto por trabalhador dos países. No segundo capítulo, por sua vez, analiso a propagação de choques por uma rede financeira, identificando a relação entre a heterogeneidade das instituições financeiras e a resiliência do sistema. Os bancos são diferenciados de acordo com seu tamanho e grau de centralidade na rede, de modo a formar uma rede núcleo-periferia similar às empiricamente observadas. Em relação aos efeitos de choques inesperados, mostro que as conexões funcionam como meio de propagação de perdas e provo a possibilidade de contágio em equilíbrio. Em contraste com a visão intuitiva, mostro que é necessária uma lacuna entre o tamanho do banco núcleo e periférico para que o primeiro alcance a relevância sistêmica esperada. Nesse caso, a presença de bancos núcleo é crucial para a propagação de choques que os atinjam diretamente, assim como para a proteção do sistema contra choques periféricos. As implicações de política são claras nesse caso. A autoridade monetária não precisa resgatar bancos periféricos para evitar o contágio. Por fim, analiso a resiliência relativa de algumas redes financeiras. Mostro que a rede núcleo-periferia é mais resiliente do que a rede circular. Como a última é utilizada recorrentemente, o risco de contágio pode estar superestimado na literatura.

Submitted by Andre Sander Diniz (sdiniz.andre@gmail.com) on 2017-12-04T23:21:55Z No. of bitstreams: 1 TESE_AndreDiniz.pdf: 1446746 bytes, checksum: a43fc82c153a68b1435f83aa1fccac05 (MD5) / Rejected by Suzinei Teles Garcia Garcia (suzinei.garcia@fgv.br), reason: Bom dia André, Por gentileza, verifique modelos de teses na biblioteca digital, sua submissão não segue os padrões. Todas as primeiras páginas. Aguardo nova submissão. Grata. Suzi 3799-7876 on 2017-12-06T12:55:29Z (GMT) / Submitted by Andre Sander Diniz (sdiniz.andre@gmail.com) on 2017-12-07T01:44:52Z No. of bitstreams: 1 TESE_AndreDiniz (2).pdf: 1425640 bytes, checksum: e977ba1359fa366483745166952c3ebf (MD5) / Rejected by Suzinei Teles Garcia Garcia (suzinei.garcia@fgv.br), reason: Bom dia André, Por gentileza, tire o acento da palavra Getulio. Aguardo. Grata Suzi on 2017-12-07T12:46:04Z (GMT) / Submitted by Andre Sander Diniz (sdiniz.andre@gmail.com) on 2017-12-08T01:42:52Z No. of bitstreams: 1 TESE (1).pdf: 1424821 bytes, checksum: 579e86e94e00e7fef70de1763ac50458 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Suzinei Teles Garcia Garcia (suzinei.garcia@fgv.br) on 2017-12-08T20:56:27Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 TESE (1).pdf: 1424821 bytes, checksum: 579e86e94e00e7fef70de1763ac50458 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-12-11T11:55:44Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 TESE (1).pdf: 1424821 bytes, checksum: 579e86e94e00e7fef70de1763ac50458 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2017-11-28 / This thesis is composed of three essays related to fiscal policy and public debt. The first chapter analyses quantitatively the relevance of different fiscal policy responses to a debt restructuring episode, taking into account endogenous default costs associated to the financial accelerator mechanism. The second chapter presents an empirical exercise on the effects of fiscal consolidations for Latin American countries, with the study of the impact on output and some aggregate demand components, as well as an investigation of the relative importance of revenue or expenditure-based adjustments and possible non-linearities in the economy's response. The third chapter suggests a simple political economy model to rationalize the presence of political budget cycles for external debt and tests the empirical implications of the model in a panel of developed and emerging economies. / Essa tese é composta por três ensaios relacionados aos temas de política fiscal e dívida pública. O primeiro capítulo faz uma análise quantitativa da importância dos diferentes tipos de resposta da política fiscal a um episódio de reestruturação de dívida, levando em consideração custos endógenos de default associados ao mecanismo do acelerador financeiro. O segundo capítulo apresenta um exercício empírico sobre os efeitos de ajustes fiscais em países da América Latina, estudando o impacto sobre produto e alguns componentes da demanda agregrada, bem como investigando a importância de ajustes baseados em receitas ou despesas e possíveis não-linearidades na resposta da economia. O terceiro capítulo sugere um modelo simples de economia política para racionalizar a presença de ciclos eleitorais de dívida externa, e em seguida testa implicações empíricas do modelo em um painel de economias desenvolvidas e emergentes.

Diese Dissertation besteht aus drei Aufsätzen, die die Rolle unterschiedlichester Arten von finanziellen Friktionen sowohl auf Firmenseite, als auch auf Bankenseite, für die Übertragung von finanziellen Schocks und Geldpolitik analysieren. Im ersten Aufsatz, "Firm Heterogeneity and the Capital Market", studiere ich welche Art von Finanzbeschränkungen der Firmen für die Übertragung von Kapitalmarktfinanzierungsschocks, als auch geldpolitischen Schocks, ausschlaggebend sind. Hierbei gehöre ich zu den Ersten in der Literatur, die Kapitalmarktfinanzierungsschocks direkt aus Firmendaten schätzen. Ich zeige in meiner Studie, dass es für ein tieferes Verständnis von Firmeninvestitionen entscheidend ist, zwischen verschiedenen potentiellen Maßzahlen für Finanzbeschränkungen der Firmen zu unterscheiden. Konkret zeige ich, dass finanzbeschränkte Firmen mit hohen erwarteten zukünftigen Gewinnen nach einem Kapitalmarktfinanzierungsschock ihre Investitionen stärker als andere Firmen erhöhen. Im Unterschied dazu, spielt für die Übertragung von Geldpolitik auf Firmeninvestitionen die Liquidität und die Verschuldungsquote eine stärkere Rolle. Diese Resultate implizieren, dass für Politikmaßnahmen die eine Erhöhung von gesamtwirtschaftlichen Investitionen zum Ziel haben, sowohl Geldpolitik als auch der Zugang zum Kapitalmarkt im Blick behalten werden muss. Der zweite Aufsatz, "The Macroeconomic Effects of a European Deposit (Re-)Insurance Scheme", wurde gemeinsam mit Marius Clemens und Stefan Gebauer geschrieben. Hier analysieren wir die Wohlfahrts- und Stabilisierungseffekte einer europäischen Einlagenrückversicherung. Unser Regime-Switching-Zwei-Länder-DSGE-Modell impliziert, dass eine europäischer Einlagenrückversicherungsfond Konjunkturschwankungen in beiden Ländern gut ausgleichen kann und die Risikoteilung zwischen beiden Ländern verbessert. Allerdings kann das Wirtschaftswachstum langfristig leiden, wenn die Einzahlungen der Banken in den jeweiligen Ländern in die europäische Einlagenversicherung schlecht gelöst sind. Im dritten Aufsatz, "The Financial Accelerator, Wages and Optimal Monetary Policy", analysiere ich in einem makroökonomischen Modell, welche Rolle Geldpolitik einnehmen sollte, wenn Friktionen auf der Bankenseite und Lohnrigiditäten existieren. Ich zeige, dass Zentralbanken im Fall von Finanzmarktschocks einen großen Fokus auf die Stabilisierung von Lohninflation legen sollten. Dies erklärt sich über die geringere Sensitivität von Kapitalnachfrage auf Änderungen in Reallöhnen im Falle von Friktionen auf dem Bankenmarkt. Höhere Reallöhne führen zudem zu Inflation und einem niedrigeren Risikoaufschlag auf Firmenkredite. / This thesis consists of three essays that focus on the role of heterogeneity in both the type and the degree of financial frictions for the pass-through of financial shocks and of monetary policy. In the first essay, "Firm Heterogeneity and the Capital Market", I investigate the importance of firms' financial constraints for the transmission of both equity shocks and monetary policy shocks. I am the first in the literature to obtain an instrument to equity financing shocks directly from firm-level data. I show in my study, that it is necessary to strictly distinguish between different forms of financial constraints if researchers want to investigate the role of firm heterogeneity on firm investment rates. In particular, financially constrained firms with high expected future profits increase their investment rate relatively more when capital market funding conditions are improved. In contrast, firm liquidity and high debt burden of firms explain the heterogeneity in firms' investment response to monetary policy. Therefore, policy makers have to consider both monetary policy conditions and access of firms to capital markets in order to relax the firms' financial constraints and to stimulate investment. The second essay, "The Macroeconomic Effects of a European Deposit (Re-) Insurance Scheme", is joint work with Marius Clemens and Stefan Gebauer. We analyze the stabilization effects of a common European deposit re-insurance scheme. To this end we build a two-country regime-switching general equilibrium model. The findings suggest that a common European deposit insurance scheme reduces business cycle fluctuations in both countries and improve risk sharing within the union. Long term macroeconomic performance however can deteriorate when contributions to the deposit insurance are non-deductible and designed poorly. In the third essay, "The Financial Accelerator, Wages and Optimal Monetary Policy", I investigate optimal monetary policy under the existence of both banking frictions and wage rigidities. In my macroeconomic model, I document that after the economy is hit by adverse financial shocks, monetary policy should stabilize wage inflation to improve welfare. This result can be explained as follows: The presence of financial frictions makes capital demand less elastic to changes in real wages. The wage-inflation stabilization regime that results in relatively higher real wages reduces the capital demand by less in comparison to the non-financial-friction economy. Higher real wages increase inflation and lowers the credit spread.