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Inflation persistence and monetary policy in South Africa: is the 3% to 6% inflation target too persistent?

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  • Andrew Phiri

Abstract

Can the South African Reserve Bank's (SARB) substantially control inflation within their set target of 3% to 6%? We sought to investigate this phenomenon by examining multiple threshold effects in the persistence levels of quarterly aggregated inflation data collected between 2003 and 2014. To this end, we employ the three-regime threshold autoregressive (TAR) model of Hansen (2000). We favour this approach over other conventional linear econometric models as it permits us to test for varying persistency within the autoregressive (AR) components of the inflation process. Our empirical explorations reveal that the SARBs set target does indeed lie within a range in which inflation is found to be most persistent. Overall and more importantly, our results suggest that the SARB should either consider revising their set inflation target by redefining the inflation target range to accommodate higher inflation rates or the Reserve Bank should consider abandoning the inflation targeting regime altogether.

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  • Andrew Phiri, 2016. "Inflation persistence and monetary policy in South Africa: is the 3% to 6% inflation target too persistent?," International Journal of Sustainable Economy, Inderscience Enterprises Ltd, vol. 8(2), pages 111-124.
    • Handle: RePEc:ids:ijsuse:v:8:y:2016:i:2:p:111-124
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Phiri, Andrew, 2019. "The Feldstein-Horioka Puzzle and the Global Financial Crisis: Evidence from South Africa using Asymmetric Cointegration Analysis," Economia Internazionale / International Economics, Camera di Commercio Industria Artigianato Agricoltura di Genova, vol. 72(2), pages 139-170.
    2. Mavikela Nomahlubi & Mhaka Simba & Phiri Andrew, 2019. "The Inflation-Growth Relationship in SSA Inflation-Targeting Countries," Studia Universitatis Babeș-Bolyai Oeconomica, Sciendo, vol. 64(2), pages 84-102, August.
    3. Andrew Phiri, 2016. "Inflation persistence in African countries: Does inflation targeting matter?," Economics and Business Letters, Oviedo University Press, vol. 5(3), pages 65-71.
    4. Phiri, Andrew, 2017. "The Feldstein-Horioka puzzle and the global recession period: Evidence from South Africa using asymmetric cointegration analysis," MPRA Paper 79096, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    5. Khoza, Keorapetse & Thebe, Relebogile & Phiri, Andrew, 2016. "Nonlinear impact of inflation on economic growth in South Africa: A smooth transition regression (STR) analysis," MPRA Paper 73840, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    6. Phiri, Andrew, 2016. "Changes in inflation persistence prior and subsequent to the subprime crisis: What are the implications for South Africa?," MPRA Paper 70645, University Library of Munich, Germany.

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