Battle plan: A look at COVID-19 fiscal and monetary policy initiatives

If the COVID-19 pandemic is an economic war, fiscal and monetary policy form critical components in the battle plan. A country’s success certainly depends on the size of their war chest, but more importantly, its their willingness to use it. Their speed of deployment, and their ability to coordinate efforts across various levels of government, that will ultimately determine the effectiveness of any policy. But as countries concentrate their efforts on mitigating domestic damage, cracks begin to form in international relationships. The EU has three of its largest economies – Italy, Spain and France – among the hardest hit regions across the globe. In this episode of Market Points, Juan Manuel Herrera, Currency Strategist at Scotiabank, shares his thoughts on government and central bank policy effectiveness, and winning the fight for our lives and livelihoods.