Interest Rate Pass-through in Malawi: Implications for the Effectiveness of Monetary Policy

This study investigates the interest rate pass-through in Malawi and its implications on monetary policy effectiveness. Using the cost-of-funds approach and monthly data from 2009 to 2015, an autoregressive distributed lag model is fitted. Results show that there is a near complete pass-through to the lending rate but not the savings rate. The magnitude of the pass-through is relatively higher under smaller banks. The results suggest that the structure of the banking industry matters. Market power is important in understanding the variation in lending and savings rates across banks. Overall, short-term rates as operating targets are consistent with inflation targeting in Malawi.