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Modelling and Identifying Central Banks' Preferences

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  • Favero, Carlo A.
  • Rovelli, Riccardo

Abstract

We propose an approach to identify independently the parameters describing the structure of the economy from those describing central bank preferences. We first estimate a parsimonious structural model for US inflation, US output-gap and the world commodity price index. We then proceed to the identification of central bank preferences by estimating by GMM the Euler equations for the solution of the intertemporal optimization problem relevant to the central bank. The empirical analysis of the structural model shows that the persistency of real interest rates effects on aggregate demand is sufficient to generate an autoregressive structure in any interest rate rule. From estimation of the Euler equations, we infer that strict inflation targeting together with real interest rate smoothing delivers an optimal policy rule capable of replicating the observed path of real interest rates over the sample 1983:1 - 1998:3. Our empirical findings imply that the output gap enters into the optimal interest rate rule only as a leading indicator of future inflation, and we reject the hypothesis that output stabilization is an independent argument in the loss of function of the Fed.

Suggested Citation

  • Favero, Carlo A. & Rovelli, Riccardo, 1999. "Modelling and Identifying Central Banks' Preferences," CEPR Discussion Papers 2178, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
  • Handle: RePEc:cpr:ceprdp:2178
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    Cited by:

    1. Anton Muscatelli & Patrizio Tirelli & Carmine Trecroci, 2001. "Monetary and Fiscal Policy Interactions over the Cycle: Some Empirical Evidence," Working Papers 2002_13, Business School - Economics, University of Glasgow, revised Oct 2002.
    2. Bentolila, Samuel & Saint-Paul, Gilles, 2000. "Will EMU Increase Eurosclerosis?," CEPR Discussion Papers 2423, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    3. Brzozowski, Michal, 2004. "Identifying central bank’s preferences: the case of Poland," Working Papers in Economics 143, University of Gothenburg, Department of Economics.
    4. Marco Buti & Martin Larch & Fabio Balboni, 2009. "Monetary and fiscal policy interactions in the EMU when cyclical conditions are uncertain," Empirica, Springer;Austrian Institute for Economic Research;Austrian Economic Association, vol. 36(1), pages 21-44, February.
    5. Jerry Coakley & Ana-Maria Fuertes, 2002. "Asymmetric dynamics in UK real interest rates," Applied Financial Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 12(6), pages 379-387.
    6. Helge Berger & Ulrich Woitek, "undated". "Does Conservatism Matter? A Time Series Approach to Central Banking," Working Papers 9814, Business School - Economics, University of Glasgow, revised May 1999.
    7. Rotondi, Zeno, 2000. "Designing instrument rules for monetary stability: the optimality of interest-rate smoothing," Discussion Paper Series In Economics And Econometrics 0008, Economics Division, School of Social Sciences, University of Southampton.
    8. Anton Muscatelli & Carmine Trecroci, 2000. "Monetary Policy Rules, Policy Preferences, and Uncertainty: Recent Empirical Evidence," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 14(5), pages 597-627, December.
    9. V. Anton Muscatelli & Patrizio Tirelli & Carmine Trecoci, 2002. "Does Institutional Change Really Matter? Inflation Targets, Central Bank Reform and Interest Rate Policy in the OECD Countries," Manchester School, University of Manchester, vol. 70(4), pages 487-527, June.
    10. Marc-Alexandre Sénégas, 2002. "La politique monétaire face à l'incertitude : un survol méthodologique des contributions relatives à la zone euro," Revue d'Économie Financière, Programme National Persée, vol. 65(1), pages 177-200.
    11. Fabio Balboni & Marco Buti & Martin Larch, 2007. "ECB vs Council vs Commission: Monetary and fiscal policy interactions in the EMU when cyclical conditions are uncertain," European Economy - Economic Papers 2008 - 2015 277, Directorate General Economic and Financial Affairs (DG ECFIN), European Commission.
    12. Karsten Ruth, 2007. "Interest rate reaction functions for the euro area," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 33(3), pages 541-569, November.
    13. Ruth, Karsten, 2004. "Interest rate reaction functions for the euro area Evidence from panel data analysis," Discussion Paper Series 1: Economic Studies 2004,33, Deutsche Bundesbank.
    14. Xavier Debrun, 2000. "Fiscal Rules in a Monetary Union: A Short-Run Analysis," Open Economies Review, Springer, vol. 11(4), pages 323-358, October.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Central Bank Preferences; GMM Estimation of Euler Equations; Inflation Targeting;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C52 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Econometric Modeling - - - Model Evaluation, Validation, and Selection
    • E52 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Monetary Policy, Central Banking, and the Supply of Money and Credit - - - Monetary Policy

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