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Inflation targeting rules and welfare in an asymmetric currency area

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  • Lombardo, Giovanni

Abstract

This paper studies the effect on monetary policy of a non-homogeneous degree of competition across the (two) members of a monetary union. In particular, we assess the welfare loss brought about by the use of a simple interest rate rule that does not take into account such structural differences. Our results show that, ceteris paribus, the welfare-maximizing central bank should react more aggressively to the inflation pressure generated by the more competitive economy. We extend the results of Benigno (2003) in two ways. First, we show that, if the degree of competition differs across countries, the optimal rule could involve a larger weight on the more "flexible" country. Second, we allow for a non-unitelastic demand for import. We show that this can alter Benigno's results even under asymmetric degree of competition. Our study suggests that the size of the welfare losses due to the neglect of these asymmetries crucially depends on their actual combination. Furthermore, we show that if information on the true extent of the asymmetries is incomplete, the symmetric rule could outperform the optimal rule.
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  • Lombardo, Giovanni, 2006. "Inflation targeting rules and welfare in an asymmetric currency area," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 68(2), pages 424-442, March.
  • Handle: RePEc:eee:inecon:v:68:y:2006:i:2:p:424-442
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    2. Corsetti, Giancarlo & Dedola, Luca & Leduc, Sylvain, 2010. "Optimal Monetary Policy in Open Economies," Handbook of Monetary Economics, in: Benjamin M. Friedman & Michael Woodford (ed.), Handbook of Monetary Economics, edition 1, volume 3, chapter 16, pages 861-933, Elsevier.
    3. Agénor, Pierre-Richard & Aizenman, Joshua, 2011. "Capital market imperfections and the theory of optimum currency areas," Journal of International Money and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 30(8), pages 1659-1675.
    4. Kenichi Tamegawa, 2012. "Two-Region DSGE Analysis of Regionally Targeted Fiscal Policy," The Review of Regional Studies, Southern Regional Science Association, vol. 42(3), pages 249-263, Winter.
    5. Andrzej Torój, 2010. "Rationality of Expectations: Another OCA Criterion? A DSGE Analysis," Central European Journal of Economic Modelling and Econometrics, Central European Journal of Economic Modelling and Econometrics, vol. 2(3), pages 205-252, June.
    6. Swapnil Singh & Roel Beetsma, 2018. "Optimal Monetary Policy Under Sectoral Interconnections," De Economist, Springer, vol. 166(3), pages 309-336, September.
    7. Daniela Bragoli & Massimiliano Rigon & Francesco Zanetti, 2016. "Optimal Inflation Weights in the Euro Area," International Journal of Central Banking, International Journal of Central Banking, vol. 12(2), pages 357-383, June.
    8. Kaufmann, Christoph, 2019. "Optimal fiscal substitutes for the exchange rate in monetary unions," Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, Elsevier, vol. 103(C), pages 43-62.
    9. Brissimis, Sophocles N. & Skotida, Ifigeneia, 2008. "Optimal monetary policy in the euro area in the presence of heterogeneity," Journal of International Money and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 27(2), pages 209-226, March.
    10. St?phane Auray & Aur?lien Eyquem, 2014. "Welfare Reversals in a Monetary Union," American Economic Journal: Macroeconomics, American Economic Association, vol. 6(4), pages 246-290, October.
    11. MENGUY, Séverine, 2023. "Stabilization of supply shocks in a structurally heterogeneous monetary union✰," Research in Economics, Elsevier, vol. 77(3), pages 362-389.
    12. Andrzej Toroj, 2011. "Competitiveness channel in Poland and Slovakia: a pre-EMU DSGE analysis," NBP Working Papers 86, Narodowy Bank Polski.
    13. Paolo Angelini & Paolo Del Giovane & Stefano Siviero & Daniele Terlizzese, 2008. "Monetary Policy in a Monetary Union: What Role for Regional Information?," International Journal of Central Banking, International Journal of Central Banking, vol. 4(3), pages 1-28, September.
    14. Gelfer, Sacha, 2024. "Examining business cycles and optimal monetary policy in a regional DSGE model," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 136(C).
    15. Arghyrou, Michael G. & Gadea, Maria Dolores, 2012. "The single monetary policy and domestic macro-fundamentals: Evidence from Spain," Journal of Policy Modeling, Elsevier, vol. 34(1), pages 16-34.
    16. Jun Nagayasu, 2017. "Regional inflation, spatial locations and the Balassa-Samuelson effect: Evidence from Japan," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 54(6), pages 1482-1499, May.
    17. Torój, Andrzej, 2017. "Managing external macroeconomic imbalances in the EU: the welfare cost of scoreboard-based constraints," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 61(C), pages 293-311.
    18. Marcin Wolski, 2016. "Welfare-theoretic Optimal Policies in a New-Keynesian Economy with Heterogeneous Regions: Any Role for Financial Integration?," Journal of Common Market Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 54(3), pages 742-761, May.
    19. Jochen Michaelis, 2012. "Optimal Monetary Policy in a Currency Union: The Role of the Cost Channel," MAGKS Papers on Economics 201203, Philipps-Universität Marburg, Faculty of Business Administration and Economics, Department of Economics (Volkswirtschaftliche Abteilung).
    20. Andrea Vaona, 2015. "The price-price Phillips curve in small open economies and monetary unions: theory and empirics," International Economics and Economic Policy, Springer, vol. 12(2), pages 281-307, June.
    21. Ivan Petrella & Emiliano Santoro, "undated". "Optimal Monetary Policy with Durable Consumption Goods and Factor Demand Linkages," EPRU Working Paper Series 2009-04, Economic Policy Research Unit (EPRU), University of Copenhagen. Department of Economics, revised May 2009.
    22. Schäfer, Benjamin, 2016. "Monetary union with sticky prices and direct spillover channels," Journal of Macroeconomics, Elsevier, vol. 49(C), pages 99-118.
    23. Górajski, Mariusz & Kuchta, Zbigniew & Leszczyńska-Paczesna, Agnieszka, 2023. "Price-setting heterogeneity and robust monetary policy in a two-sector DSGE model of a small open economy," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 122(C).

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    JEL classification:

    • E5 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Monetary Policy, Central Banking, and the Supply of Money and Credit
    • F4 - International Economics - - Macroeconomic Aspects of International Trade and Finance
    • E3 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Prices, Business Fluctuations, and Cycles
    • E4 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Money and Interest Rates

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