Objective This research project examines and compares the consequences of European Central Bank and Federal Reserve’s decisions and announcements on the whole distribution of financial market expectations about future monetary policy moves. The value added of this study is two-fold. First, we contribute to the rapidly expanding literature on central bank communication by shedding further light on asset price reactions to monetary policy: by looking at the whole distribution of market expectations, we can assess whether central bank communication increases “fundamental” uncertainty and thus whether public announcements are welfare improving or reducing. Moreover, by carrying out a comparative study exercise and comparing two different communication policies, ECB versus Fed, we can draw important normative conclusions on what is the most effective communication policy. Other improvements include the time-series analysis of a full interest rate cycle, the potential better methods to extract risk-neutral PDFs, and the precise assessment of the effects of the ECB’s words, separately from the effects of its deeds, by using tick-by-tick option price data to derive the whole distribution of market expectations. Second, we contribute to the empirical finance literature by analyzing the effects of a new type of news item, specifically the information originating from central bank announcements, rather than scheduled macroeconomic announcements. The effects that we document have relevant implications not only for a better understanding of the monetary policy transmission mechanism, but also for yield curve modeling and for the microstructure of bond markets. The methodologies developed and the results found will be important both for a monetary economics and a finance audience. More generally, many of the findings and prescriptions stemming from this research project could be straightforwardly and directly applied to designing national Governments’ communication policies. Fields of science social scienceseconomics and businesseconomicsmonetary and finances Programme(s) FP7-PEOPLE - Specific programme "People" implementing the Seventh Framework Programme of the European Community for research, technological development and demonstration activities (2007 to 2013) Topic(s) FP7-PEOPLE-IEF-2008 - Marie Curie Action: "Intra-European Fellowships for Career Development" Call for proposal FP7-PEOPLE-IEF-2008 See other projects for this call Funding Scheme MC-IEF - Intra-European Fellowships (IEF) Coordinator UNIVERSITE CATHOLIQUE DE LOUVAIN EU contribution € 151 391,75 Address PLACE DE L UNIVERSITE 1 1348 Louvain La Neuve Belgium See on map Region Région wallonne Prov. Brabant Wallon Arr. Nivelles Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Administrative Contact Luc Bauwens (Prof.) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Total cost No data