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Firms’ inflation expectations and investment plans

Author

Listed:
  • Adriana Grasso

    (LUISS University)

  • Tiziano Ropele

    (Bank of Italy)

Abstract

In past years there have been suggestions for monetary policy to engineer higher inflation expectations to stimulate spending. We examine the relationship between the inflation expectations of firms and their investment plans using Italian business survey data over the period 2012-2016. We show that higher expected inflation is positively correlated with firms’ willingness to invest. In our baseline specification, a one percentage point rise in expected inflation is associated with a higher probability of reporting higher investment plans by 4.0 percentage points. This expansionary effect operates through the standard interest rate channel and its magnitude is positively correlated with firms’ liquidity and debt position.

Suggested Citation

  • Adriana Grasso & Tiziano Ropele, 2018. "Firms’ inflation expectations and investment plans," Temi di discussione (Economic working papers) 1203, Bank of Italy, Economic Research and International Relations Area.
    • Handle: RePEc:bdi:wptemi:td_1203_18
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Olivier Coibion & Yuriy Gorodnichenko & Tiziano Ropele, 2020. "Inflation Expectations and Firm Decisions: New Causal Evidence," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 135(1), pages 165-219.
    2. Concetta Rondinelli & Roberta Zizza, 2020. "Spend today or spend tomorrow? The role of inflation expectations in consumer behaviour," Temi di discussione (Economic working papers) 1276, Bank of Italy, Economic Research and International Relations Area.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    investment expenditure; inflation expectations; survey data;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • E22 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Consumption, Saving, Production, Employment, and Investment - - - Investment; Capital; Intangible Capital; Capacity
    • E31 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Prices, Business Fluctuations, and Cycles - - - Price Level; Inflation; Deflation
    • E58 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Monetary Policy, Central Banking, and the Supply of Money and Credit - - - Central Banks and Their Policies

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