A monetary approach to measuring long-run inflationary expectations

In this paper, a model of long-term monetary equilibrium is used to construct an empirical model of long-run inflationary expectations. This model is estimated and used to construct out-of-sample estimates of long-run expected inflation. Comparisons of expectations measures from this model with those from commonly-used autoregressive models and with a model drawn from the term structure clearly favors the former.     

Monetary Dynamics of Inflation in China

This paper investigates both the short‐run and the long‐run relationships between monetary growth and inflation in China between 1980 and 2010. We construct multivariate dynamic models based on Friedman’s quantity theory of money (but permitting money to be endogenous) and Meltzer’s monetarist model. The empirical results provide robust evidence that there is a bilateral causal relationship between monetary growth and inflation as well as between monetary growth and output growth. An indirect and implicit causal relationship between monetary growth and inflation is found through the asset inflation channel. There are also long‐run equilibrium relationships between money stock, price index and other relevant variables. The present paper further provides a historical exploration of the mechanism of the monetary dynamics of inflation in China over the underlying period. We conclude that the monetary growth rule is likely to be the most promising policy orientation for China to manage its inflation.     

The Challenges of Inflation in Europe and the US

Inflationary pressures and uncertainties related to the severity and duration of the coronavirus pandemic have been growing steadily in the last year. Different approaches to supporting labour force participation in Europe and the United States have led to different inflationary outcomes. In addition, the Russian war against Ukraine, which began on 24 February, has provided a definitive answer to questions about whether rising inflation is just temporary. The sharp increase in already volatile food and energy prices is presenting monetary policymakers with new challenges. The authors in this Forum consider how to respond to rising inflation, discuss why inflation is so hard to predict and examine whether long-term inflation expectations have de-anchored.

     

基于宏观经济动态均衡的中国通胀压力均衡调整分析

2009年下半年以来,我国经济逐渐复苏,而通胀的压力也进一步增大。基于宏观经济动态均衡的角度,现对经济通胀压力进行量化分析。在进行量化分析前构建了一个求解宏观经济动态均衡的简单模型,并将中国宏观经济中的五大变量代入该模型进行了计量分析,得出了中国宏观经济中五大变量的均衡值。然后,通过经验分析,考察了1979年以来我国物价运行的动态均衡轨迹。最后,依据计量数据和经验分析,阐述了当前通胀压力的均衡调整策略。     

The impact of monetary policy on oil price persistence: An application of the smooth regime-switching model

This paper employs the smooth transition autoregressive model to evaluate the persistence of oil price changes, and chooses monetary policy variables as transition variables of the model to assess their roles in the persistence effects. The empirical results show that oil price changes displayed asymmetric adjustments within different regimes and were more sensitive to the movement of interest rates than inflation rate. In addition, high inflation rate would give rise to low oil price persistence, and expansionary monetary policy would bring about higher oil price persistence. Moreover, when the short- and long-term interest rates were over their threshold values, the persistence effects of oil price changes were opposite. In the present relatively low US interest rates, adopting either an inflation-targeting policy or/and a debt-financing policy to stimulate economic growth, the timing is appropriate and the effect will be positive and expected because of low persistence of oil price changes.     

我国货币政策调控对产出和通胀影响的水平效应和波动率效应研究——基于VAR模型和局部投影模型冲击反应函数的实证分析

在“三重压力”下，我国货币政策调控要实现“稳增长”和“防通胀”在水平值和波动率上的“双重稳定”,既要保持适度经济增速，又要防止通货膨胀快速上升，还要防止产出和通胀波动形成的经济风险。为此，文章使用了局部投影方法和VAR模型方法计算了数量型和价格型货币政策的冲击反应函数，以此刻画货币政策对产出增长率和通货膨胀率的水平值和波动率的动态效应。实证结果表明，数量型货币政策对经济增长率和通货膨胀率均具有水平值上的显著正向效应，同时具有降低产出波动而提升通胀波动的冲击效应；价格型货币政策也对经济增长率和通货膨胀率具有显著正向效应，同时具有降低产出波动率和通胀波动率的双重稳定功能。因此，当前货币政策操作仍然要以价格型货币政策为主，以此实现货币政策逆周期和跨周期调控功能。     

Inflation,R&D and growth in an open economy

This study explores the long-run effects of inflation in a two-country Schumpeterian growth model with cash-in-advance constraints on consumption and R&D investment. We find that increasing domestic inflation reduces domestic R&D investment and the growth rate of domestic technology. Given that economic growth in a country depends on both domestic and foreign technologies, increasing foreign inflation also affects the domestic economy. When each government conducts its monetary policy unilaterally to maximize the welfare of domestic households, the Nash-equilibrium inflation rates are generally higher than the optimal inflation rates chosen by cooperative governments who maximize the welfare of both domestic and foreign households. Under the CIA constraint on R&D (consumption), a larger market power of firms amplifies (mitigates) this inflationary bias. We use cross-country panel data to estimate the effects of inflation on R&D and also calibrate the two-country model to data in the Euro Area and the US to quantify the welfare effects of decreasing the inflation rates from the Nash equilibrium to the optimal level.     

The ECB’s New Monetary Policy Strategy

The ECB updated its monetary policy strategy for the first time in 18 years in July 2021. Therein, the ECB announced that it is willing to accept a transitory period of moderate inflation overshoot in its efforts to push inflation upwards after a long period of undershooting its target. This study explores whether such an overshoot can be economically justified employing a simple Phillips curve model. The results point to the conclusion that the average inflation rate over the business cycle consolidated about one percentage point below the ECB’s target rate. A temporary asymmetry of the ECB’s monetary strategy seems therefore justified to realign inflation and inflation expectations with the target rate.

     

中国货币运行中现金漏损率的变化规律及其原因分析

文章首次采用结构突变模型,将现金漏损率纳入资产需求理论分析框架对中国的现金漏损率的变化规律和影响因素进行实证研究.得到如下结论:现金漏损率的变化在1992年发生了明显的结构突变,改革开放以来,中国现金漏损率变化呈现先上升后下降的阶段性特征,存在明显的季节性波动规律;1992年之前,现金漏损率的不断上升主要归因于物价上涨因素,而1992年之后,现金漏损率的逐渐下降则主要是由于中国经济的持续增长与金融改革的深化造成的;而近段时间通胀预期和各地出台的各种地产调控有可能导致现金漏损率反弹.因此文章建议,当前在稳定物价和房价的同时,必须开辟更多的金融投资渠道,以免现金漏损率的反弹带来通胀的潜在隐患.     

Fiscal and monetary rules for a currency union

This paper addresses the optimal joint conduct of fiscal and monetary policy in a two-country model of a currency union with staggered price setting and distortionary taxes. A tractable linear-quadratic approximation permits a representation of the optimal policy plan in terms of targeting rules. In the optimal equilibrium, monetary policy should achieve aggregate price stability following a flexible inflation targeting rule. Fiscal policy should stabilize idiosyncratic shocks allowing for permanent variations of government debt but should abstain from creating inflationary expectations at the union level. Simple policy rules can approximate the optimal commitment benchmark through a mix of strict inflation targeting and flexible budget rules. Conversely, the welfare costs of balanced budget rules are at least one order of magnitude higher than conventional estimates of the costs of business cycle fluctuactions.     

The monetary base or M1? results from a small macromodel

This article investigates the issue of whether M1 or the monetary base should be used as an intermediate target for monetary policy. Because the target variable should be reliably related to future economic activity, each aggregate is used in estimating a small macromodel which consists of a nominal GNP growth equation and an inflation specification. The empirical results indicate that M1 better explains GNP growth and inflation for the period 1960–1980. Forecast errors of GNP growth from 1970–1980 are reduced when M1 is used instead of the adjusted base, although there is little difference between inflation forecasts. Based on the evidence presented in this study, M1 is preferred as the intermediate target variable.     

一个解释中国通货膨胀的可行框架:1981—2006

经过修正的财政主导型制度和价格水平决定的财政理论可以分别对1981—1994年和1995—2006年两个时期的通货膨胀史进行解释,其中前者源于对既有经济学文献的综合分析,后者源于以事实为基础的逻辑推理和最新正式经验研究。一个重要的现实政策含义是,要实现价格稳定和可持续经济增长,中国务必要进行第二次制度变革,其方向是以积极型货币政策与被动型财政政策搭配为基础的货币主导型的李嘉图制度。     

汇率、货币政策变动对我国通货膨胀的影响分析——基于协整和状态空间模型的实证研究

本文通过协整分析构建状态空间模型,结合中国实际情况实证研究了人民币汇率传递和货币政策变动对以消费者价格指数(CPI)为主要衡量指标的通货膨胀的影响.结果显示,汇率、货币政策变动和CPI之间存在长期协整关系,汇率传递在我国是不完全的,汇率变化对通货膨胀的影响为负向且程度较低,货币政策变动对物价的调控也是低效的.     

Is the US Dollar a Suitable Anchor for the Newly Proposed GCC Currency?

Responses of inflation and non‐oil output growth from the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries to monetary policy shocks from the United States (US) were estimated to determine whether there is evidence to support the US dollar as the anchor for the proposed unified currency. A structural vector autoregression identified with short‐run restrictions was employed for each country with Fed funds rate as the US monetary policy instrument, non‐oil output growth and inflation. The main results suggest that for inflation, the GCC countries show synchronised responses to monetary policy shocks from the US which are similar to inflation in the US, and for non‐oil output growth, there is no clear indication that US monetary policy can be as effective for the GCC countries as it is domestically. Consequently, importing US monetary policy via a dollar peg may guarantee only stable inflation for the GCC countries – not necessarily stable non‐oil output growth. If the non‐oil output response is made conscientiously – and there are concerns over the dollar’s ability to perform its role as a store of value – a basket peg with both the US dollar and the euro may be a sound alternative as confirmed by the variance decomposition analysis of our augmented SVAR with a proxy for the European short‐term interest rate.     

Inflation and Output Growth Dynamics in South Africa: Evidence from the Markov Switching Vector Autoregressive Model

This paper introduces the possibility of asymmetry in the reaction of output growth to inflation shocks in South Africa by making use of the Markov-switching vector autoregressive model. Using quarterly data from 1969Q1 to 2013Q4, the empirical finding suggests that the reaction of output growth to inflation shocks is not only regime dependent but is also contingent on how the monetary authority reacts to such shocks. Two important regimes are identified; the high and low inflation volatility regimes. Consistent with the signal extraction theory, the output effect of inflation shocks is found to be significantly lower in the high inflation volatility regime compared to the low inflation regime.     

The unconventional monetary policy of the European Central Bank: Effectiveness and transmission analysis

Since the beginning of the financial crisis in summer 2007, the European Central Bank (ECB) has redirected traditional monetary policy, based on interest rates, to an unconventional monetary policy focused on the quantitative expansion of its balance sheet. In this context, the present paper aims to assess the effectiveness of unconventional monetary policy instruments with regard to inflation and economic growth. To this end, the methodology is based on the estimation of a structural vector autoregressive model for the period 2007:Q1–2018:Q4, using four variables: EONIA, the total amount of assets on the ECB's balance sheet, the Eurozone inflation rate and the Eurozone economic growth rate. The results show a slight impact of the different balance sheet policies on inflation and economic activity behaviour, especially during the last year of the financial crisis. The robustness of these results is supported by the estimation of the same model replacing EONIA rates with shadow rates. Therefore, the results support the existence of monetary transmission for the period during which the unconventional monetary policy was developed as well as the effectiveness of the monetary policy adopted by the ECB in its commitment to price stability.     

One fits all in the EMU? One monetary policy for eleven countries

Euro-skeptics continue to argue that the discrepancies between national business cycles are too wide, and that a common European monetary policy cannot work in the long run. The laboriously accomplished monetary stability will therefore not be able to last, high rates of inflation and a “soft” euro will, in the long run, be the inevitable consequences. The empirical evidence given in the following article supports a different view: not only has there been a strong correlation of business cycles in Euroland over the past decade, but there are also a multitude of forces that are working towards further convergence.     

我国通胀演变的决定因素与传导机制研究

本文采用向量自回归模型和滚动回归方法实证研究了我国通胀演变的决定因素,结论表明,通胀预期和成本因素的变动能够快速传导至通胀指标,但其影响力可以在短期内予以消化。而需求因素和货币因素对通胀指标的传导时滞相对较长,但影响更为深远,是决定通胀变动的根源所在。在此基础上,对影响社会需求、货币供应、企业成本、通胀预期的深层因素和传导机制做了进一步的分析。最后,就我国的反通胀政策提出了几点建议。     

转型期货币渠道与信贷渠道有效性的实证研究

本文运用基于VAR模型的时间序列分析方法对我国转型期货币渠道与信贷渠道的有效性进行了实证研究。脉冲响应函数分析表明产出和通货膨胀对贷款冲击的响应比其对货币供给冲击的响应更为显著,预测方差的分解结果证实贷款对产出和通货膨胀的贡献率均远远大于货币供给量的贡献率,故转型期内信贷渠道相对于货币渠道更为有效。因此,为增强货币政策的有效性,中央银行应同时监控货币和信贷指标,货币政策操作也要以有效调节私人部门的信贷可得量为基础。     

MARKETS FOR INFLATION‐INDEXED BONDS AS MECHANISMS FOR EFFICIENT MONETARY POLICY

We consider a continuous‐time framework featuring a central bank, private agents, and a financial market. The central bank's objective is to maximize a functional, which measures the classical trade‐off between output and inflation over time plus income from the sales of inflation‐indexed bonds minus payments for the liabilities that the inflation‐indexed bonds produce at maturity. Private agents are assumed to have adaptive expectations. The financial market is modeled in continuous‐time Black–Scholes–Merton style and financial agents are averse against inflation risk, attaching an inflation risk premium to nominal bonds. Following this route, we explain demand for inflation‐indexed securities on the financial market from a no‐arbitrage assumption and derive pricing formulas for inflation‐linked bonds and calls, which lead to a supply‐demand equilibrium. Furthermore, we study the consequences that the sales of inflation‐indexed securities have on the observed inflation rate and price level. Similar to the study of Walsh, we find that the inflationary bias is significantly reduced, and hence that markets for inflation‐indexed bonds provide a mechanism to reduce inflationary bias and increase central bank's credibility.