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370
result(s)
Price-Level versus Inflation Targeting in a Small Open Economy
Staff Working Paper 2001-24
Gabriel Srour
This paper compares two types of monetary policy: price-level targeting and inflation targeting. It reviews recent arguments that favour price-level targeting, and examines how certain factors, such as the nature of the shocks affecting the economy and the degree to which agents are forward-looking, bear upon the arguments.
Content Type(s):
Staff research,
Staff working papers
Topic(s):
Monetary policy framework
JEL Code(s):
E,
E5,
E52
Why Do Central Banks Smooth Interest Rates?
Staff Working Paper 2001-17
Gabriel Srour
It is commonly observed that central banks respond gradually to economic shocks, moving the interest rate in small discrete steps in the same direction over an extended period of time. This paper examines the empirical evidence regarding central banks' smoothing of interest rates, paying particular attention to the case of Canada.
Content Type(s):
Staff research,
Staff working papers
Topic(s):
Monetary policy implementation
JEL Code(s):
E,
E5
Predetermined Prices and the Persistent Effects of Money on Output
Staff Working Paper 2001-13
Michael Devereux,
James Yetman
This paper illustrates a model of predetermined pricing, where firms set a fixed schedule of nominal prices at the time of price readjustment, based on the work of Fischer (1977). This type of price-setting specification cannot produce any excess persistence in a fixed-duration model of staggered prices, but we show that with a probabilistic model of price adjustment, as in Calvo (1983), a predetermined pricing specification can produce excess persistence.
Content Type(s):
Staff research,
Staff working papers
Topic(s):
Monetary policy transmission
JEL Code(s):
E,
E3,
E30
The Zero Bound on Nominal Interest Rates: How Important Is It?
Staff Working Paper 2001-6
David Amirault,
Brian O'Reilly
This paper surveys the literature on the zero bound on the nominal interest rate. It addresses questions ranging from the conditions under which the zero bound on the nominal interest rate might occur to policy options to avoid or use to exit from such a situation. We discuss literature that examines historical and country evidence, and literature that uses models to generate evidence on this question.
Content Type(s):
Staff research,
Staff working papers
Topic(s):
Credibility,
Inflation targets,
Monetary policy transmission
JEL Code(s):
E,
E3,
E31,
E5,
E52,
E58,
E6,
E61
Reactions of Canadian Interest Rates to Macroeconomic Announcements: Implications for Monetary Policy Transparency
Staff Working Paper 2001-5
Toni Gravelle,
Richhild Moessner
In this study we statistically quantify the reactions of Canadian and U.S. interest rates to macroeconomic announcements released in Canada and in the United States. We find that Canadian interest rates react very little to Canadian macroeconomic news and are significantly affected by U.S. macroeconomic news, which indicates that international influences on the Canadian fixed-income markets are important.
Content Type(s):
Staff research,
Staff working papers
Topic(s):
Financial markets,
Interest rates,
Monetary policy implementation
JEL Code(s):
E,
E0,
E4,
E5
On Commodity-Sensitive Currencies and Inflation Targeting
Staff Working Paper 2001-3
Kevin Clinton
Two aspects of the recent monetary history of Canada, Australia, and New Zealand stand out: the sensitivity of their dollars to prices of resource-based commodities, and inflation targeting. This paper explores various aspects of these phenomena.
Content Type(s):
Staff research,
Staff working papers
Topic(s):
Exchange rates,
Inflation targets,
International topics,
Monetary policy implementation
JEL Code(s):
E,
E3,
E31,
E5,
E52,
F,
F3,
F31,
F4,
F42
November 14, 2000
Conference Summary: Money, Monetary Policy, and Transmission Mechanisms
This article summarizes the proceedings of a conference hosted by the Bank of Canada in November 1999. Three major themes emerged at the conference. The first concerned uncertainty about the transmission mechanism by which monetary policy affects output and inflation. The second concerned the potential usefulness of monetary aggregates in guiding the economy along a stable non-inflationary growth path. The third was the recent developments in dynamic monetary general-equilibrium models. The work presented suggests that a wide range of models is useful for understanding the various paths by which monetary policy actions might influence the economy.
Content Type(s):
Publications,
Bank of Canada Review articles
Topic(s):
Economic models,
Monetary aggregates,
Monetary policy and uncertainty
August 16, 2000
The Changing Face of Central Banking in the 1990s
During the 1990s, central banks in the industrialized countries made important changes in the way they operate. As part of these initiatives, central banks have endeavoured to define a set of best practices, learning from each other in the process. The goal was to improve and adapt the frameworks within which monetary policy is implemented. Clarifying Objectives A clear objective is a necessary starting point for any policy framework. The growing consensus that price stability is the most appropriate objective for monetary policy was perhaps one of the most critical developments of the past decade. Price stability is now universally regarded as the key contribution that monetary policy can make to promote sustainable growth and maximize the level of employment. Central banks also need a clear strategy for achieving their objective. A major development of the past decade was the growing popularity of inflation targets as the numerical focus for monetary policy. Clearly defined inflation targets focus policy on the variable that is directly associated with price stability. The Bank of Canada was one of the first to adopt (in 1991) a set of targets for inflation over a specified time horizon. Accountability Many central banks have acquired greater independence and this, together with the public's desire for more information from key public institutions, has raised the standards for accountability. At the same time, explicit targets provide a clear measure against which to judge the performance of the monetary authorities. Increased accountability also has implications for the overall transparency of the monetary authorities. In sum, central banks have become much more open institutions and are placing greater emphasis on their communications activities. As an example, comprehensive inflation reports have become key communications vehicles for a number of central banks. Many of the changes implemented by central banks stem from the desire to improve the credibility of monetary policy, thus making it easier for monetary authorities to achieve their objectives. Although it is difficult to ascertain the overall effect of the evolving policy framework, it is encouraging that inflation and inflation expectations were at low levels at the end of the 1990s, thus providing a solid base for monetary policy in the future.
Content Type(s):
Publications,
Bank of Canada Review articles
Topic(s):
Credibility,
Inflation targets,
International topics,
Monetary policy framework
Probing Potential Output: Monetary Policy, Credibility, and Optimal Learning under Uncertainty
Staff Working Paper 2000-10
James Yetman
The effective conduct of monetary policy is complicated by uncertainty about the level of potential output, and thus about the size of the monetary policy response that would be sufficient to achieve the targeted inflation rate. One possible response to such uncertainty is for the monetary authority to "probe," interpreted here as actively using its policy response to learn about the level of potential output.
Content Type(s):
Staff research,
Staff working papers
Topic(s):
Credibility,
Monetary policy and uncertainty,
Potential output
JEL Code(s):
E,
E5,
E52,
E58