No abstract

This paper uses regional variation to study the propagation of oil price shocks from vector autoregressions. Using data from the lower 48 states, we find strong and distinct asymmetrical patterns in the impulse responses of personal income and housing prices from an oil price shock. Specifically, impulse responses are amplified or dampened depending on the size distributions of banks and firms within a state. More importantly, the small bank and small firm size effects normally associated with the propagation of monetary policy shocks, are shown to propagate oil price shocks. Overall, our results are indicative of multiple transmission channels.JEL Classifications: R11, Q43, E52, G21