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On The “Hot Potato” Effect Of Inflation: Intensive Versus Extensive Margins

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  • Liu, Lucy Qian
  • Wang, Liang
  • Wright, Randall

Abstract

Conventional wisdom is that inflation makes people spend money faster, trying to get rid of it like a “hot potato,” and this is a channel through which inflation affects velocity and welfare. Monetary theory with endogenous search intensity seems ideal for studying this. However, in standard models, inflation is a tax that lowers the surplus from monetary exchange and hence reduces search effort. We replace search intensity with a free entry (participation) decision for buyers—i.e., we focus on the extensive rather than intensive margin—and prove buyers always spend their money faster when inflation increases. We also discuss welfare.

Suggested Citation

  • Liu, Lucy Qian & Wang, Liang & Wright, Randall, 2011. "On The “Hot Potato” Effect Of Inflation: Intensive Versus Extensive Margins," Macroeconomic Dynamics, Cambridge University Press, vol. 15(S2), pages 191-216, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:cup:macdyn:v:15:y:2011:i:s2:p:191-216_00
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Rocheteau, Guillaume & Weill, Pierre-Olivier & Wong, Russell, 2018. "A tractable model of monetary exchange with ex-post heterogeneity," Theoretical Economics, Econometric Society, vol. 13(3), September.
    2. Han, Han & Julien, Benoît & Petursdottir, Asgerdur & Wang, Liang, 2019. "Asset liquidity and indivisibility," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 119(C), pages 236-250.
    3. Lucas Herrenbrueck, 2017. "An Open-Economy Model With Money, Endogenous Search, And Heterogeneous Firms," Economic Inquiry, Western Economic Association International, vol. 55(4), pages 1648-1670, October.
    4. Nicola Amendola & Luis Araujo & Leo Ferraris, 2024. "Physical vs Digital Currency: What's the Difference, Why it Matters," Working Papers 537, University of Milano-Bicocca, Department of Economics.
    5. Berentsen, Aleksander & Waller, Christopher, 2015. "Optimal Stabilization Policy With Search Externalities," Macroeconomic Dynamics, Cambridge University Press, vol. 19(3), pages 669-700, April.
    6. Han, Han & Julien, Benoît & Petursdottir, Asgerdur & Wang, Liang, 2016. "Equilibrium using credit or money with indivisible goods," Journal of Economic Theory, Elsevier, vol. 166(C), pages 152-163.
    7. Adrian Masters, 2013. "Inflation and Welfare in Retail Markets: Prior Production and Imperfectly Directed Search," Journal of Money, Credit and Banking, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 45(5), pages 821-844, August.
    8. Lieb, Lenard & Schuffels, Johannes, 2020. "Inflation expectations and consumer spending: the role of household balance sheets (RM/19/022-revised-)," Research Memorandum 006, Maastricht University, Graduate School of Business and Economics (GSBE).
    9. Lenard Lieb & Johannes Schuffels, 2022. "Inflation expectations and consumer spending: the role of household balance sheets," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 63(5), pages 2479-2512, November.
    10. Stella Xiuhua Huangfu, 2018. "The Effects of Inflation on Market Participation and Search Intensity," The Economic Record, The Economic Society of Australia, vol. 94(304), pages 25-38, March.
    11. Anbarci, Nejat & Dutu, Richard & Feltovich, Nick, 2015. "Inflation tax in the lab: a theoretical and experimental study of competitive search equilibrium with inflation," Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, Elsevier, vol. 61(C), pages 17-33.

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