美联储再次出手救市,这次使用的手段是降低贴现窗利率,由原来的6.25厘下降50基点,变为5.75厘,与联邦基金利率的息差由1厘缩窄为0.5厘。与此同时,美联储宣布通过贴现窗口获得的借贷时间最长扩展至30日并且可续借,同时接受房屋按揭贷款作为抵押。下面是公告原文,有兴趣的朋友可以细读。
Release Date: August 17, 2007
For immediate release
To promote the restoration of orderly conditions in financial markets, the Federal Reserve Board approved temporary changes to its primary credit discount window facility. The Board approved a 50 basis point reduction in the primary credit rate to 5-3/4 percent, to narrow the spread between the primary credit rate and the Federal Open Market Committee’s target federal funds rate to 50 basis points. The Board is also announcing a change to the Reserve Banks’ usual practices to allow the provision of term financing for as long as 30 days, renewable by the borrower. These changes will remain in place until the Federal Reserve determines that market liquidity has improved materially. These changes are designed to provide depositories with greater assurance about the cost and availability of funding. The Federal Reserve will continue to accept a broad range of collateral for discount window loans, including home mortgages and related assets. Existing collateral margins will be maintained. In taking this action, the Board approved the requests submitted by the Boards of Directors of the Federal Reserve Banks of New York and San Francisco.
首次消息影响,美股周五大幅高开,略有回落后再次回升至高开点位附近,SP500指数上升2.46%,报收1445.94点。
那么,这个贴现窗口利率究竟是什么东西呢?有兴趣详细了解的朋友,可以看美联储准备的这篇说明。
当然,如果没兴趣看那么多英文,就请继续看我的概括。简单来说,就是当市场出现信贷危机,商业银行无法从同行或者其他渠道获得资金的时候,央行作为最后借贷人提供抵押贷款时的利率。目前美联储的贴现窗口利率分为三种,Primary、Secondary和Seasonal。一般说贴现窗口利率,都指得是Primary利率,这是为信贷情况较佳的银行准备的,而Secondary则是为无法满足Primary信贷要求的机构准备的,至于Seasonal则是满足一些常规季节性借贷需求。从利率来看,Primary利率长期以来都比联邦基金利率高1厘——也因此被成为“惩罚性利率”,较高的利率防止银行等把联邦贴现窗口当作资金的容易来源滥用,而Secondary则比Primary一般高50个基点,至于Seasonal则一般保持和联邦基金利率一致。
贴现窗口利率的调整相对灵活,至少每14天商议一次, 不过一般也就是商议,不会有太大变化。下图就是过去一年来的贴现窗口利率走势图。很明显,在本次紧急调整前,利率都死死的在联邦基金利率+1厘的位置上呆着。

其实,大多数时候贴现窗口借贷的作用都有限。毕竟银行等机构可以在市场中以便宜的代价借到资金,谁又愿意多花利息问美联储借。不过一旦遇到大型危机,它的作用就发挥出来了。就以今年8月16日结束的那周为例,美联储每日平均才出借了1100万美元的Primary信贷和2.6亿的Seasonal信贷。与此相比,9·11后的第二天,也就是2001年9月12日,当日美联储就通过贴现窗口出借资金455亿美元。
这次美联储降低贴现窗口利率,究竟更多是心理作用,还是将真正为市场注入救命钱?很简单,下周末在查看美联储的H.4.1统计表格(Factors Affecting Reserve Balances),我们就可以清楚知道有多少资金被借出了。








张佳昺,CFA(特许金融分析师)