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Openness and inflation volatility: cross-country evidence

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  • Christopher Bowdler
  • Adeel Malik

Abstract

Recent decades have seen a considerable expansion of global trade and a simultaneous decline in inflation volatility. This paper investigates whether greater openness to trade helps achieve inflation stability. Using panel data for a sample of developing and industrial countries over the period 1961-2000, we document a negative and statistically significant effect of openness on inflation volatility. This relationship is estimated after controlling for the potential endogenity of openness, and the average rate of inflation. We conduct a battery of robuistness tests, showing in particular the robustness of our conclusions to controlling for the choice of exchange rate regime. A sub-sample analysis suggests that the relationship between openness and inflation volatility is more pronounced in developing and emerging market economies thanin OECD countires. We also identify potential channels underpinning this relationship. In particulare, we provide eveidenc that openness may promote inflation stability through dampening monetary and terms of trade shocks.

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  • Christopher Bowdler & Adeel Malik, 2005. "Openness and inflation volatility: cross-country evidence," CSAE Working Paper Series 2005-08, Centre for the Study of African Economies, University of Oxford.
    • Handle: RePEc:csa:wpaper:2005-08
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    2. Horst Feldmann, 2012. "Inflation volatility and unemployment in industrial countries," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 44(1), pages 49-64, January.
    3. Ummad Mazhar & Cheick Kader M'baye, 2014. "Does Forecasts Transparency Affect Macroeconomic Volatility in Developing Countries ? Evidence From Quasi-Natural Experiments," Working Papers 1410, Groupe d'Analyse et de Théorie Economique Lyon St-Étienne (GATE Lyon St-Étienne), Université de Lyon.
    4. Yingying Xu & Zhixin Liu & Zichao Jia & Chi-Wei Su, 2017. "Is time-variant information stickiness state-dependent?," Portuguese Economic Journal, Springer;Instituto Superior de Economia e Gestao, vol. 16(3), pages 169-187, December.
    5. Gernot Pehnelt, 2007. "Globalisation and Inflation in OECD Countries," Jena Economics Research Papers 2007-055, Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena.
    6. Anand, Rahul & Prasad, Eswar S. & Zhang, Boyang, 2015. "What measure of inflation should a developing country central bank target?," Journal of Monetary Economics, Elsevier, vol. 74(C), pages 102-116.
    7. Florence Barugahara, 2015. "The Impact of Political Instability on Inflation Volatility in Africa," South African Journal of Economics, Economic Society of South Africa, vol. 83(1), pages 56-73, March.
    8. Rana Atabay, 2016. "The Relationship between Trade Openness and Inflation in Turkey," International Journal of Research in Business and Social Science (2147-4478), Center for the Strategic Studies in Business and Finance, vol. 5(3), pages 137-145, April.
    9. Daniel Santabárbara & Marta Suárez-Varela, 2022. "Carbon pricing and inflation volatility," Working Papers 2231, Banco de España.
    10. Ha,Jongrim & Ivanova,Anna & Ohnsorge,Franziska Lieselotte & Unsal Portillo Ocando,Derya Filiz, 2019. "Inflation : Concepts, Evolution, and Correlates," Policy Research Working Paper Series 8738, The World Bank.
    11. Oseni Isiaq Olasunkanmi & Sanni Hauwa Yetunde, 2016. "Does Fiscal Deficit Granger Cause Impulsiveness in Inflation Rate in Nigeria?," Acta Universitatis Danubius. OEconomica, Danubius University of Galati, issue 12(4), pages 208-216, October.
    12. Sikdar, Asaduzzaman & Kundu, Nobinkhor & Khan, Zakir Saadullah, 2013. "Trade openness and inflation: A test of Romer hypothesis for Bangladesh," MPRA Paper 65244, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 16 Oct 2013.
    13. Mounir MARZOUGUI, 2016. "L’impact de l’instabilité politique sur la volatilité de l’inflation dans les pays en développement," Journal of Academic Finance, RED research unit, university of Gabes, Tunisia, vol. 7(1), June.
    14. Rafael Portillo & Luis-Felipe Zanna & Stephen O’Connell & Richard Peck, 2016. "Implications of food subsistence for monetary policy and inflation," Oxford Economic Papers, Oxford University Press, vol. 68(3), pages 782-810.
    15. Francis Obeng Afari & Jong Chil Son & Horlali Yaw Haligah, 2021. "Empirical analysis of the relationship between openness and inflation: a case study of sub-Saharan Africa," SN Business & Economics, Springer, vol. 1(6), pages 1-23, June.
    16. Mazhar, Ummad & Jafri, Juvaria, 2014. "Does an informal sector reduce the economic dividends of political stability? Empirical evidence," MPRA Paper 60764, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    17. Shesadri Banerjee, 2017. "Empirical Regularities of Inflation Volatility: Evidence from Advanced and Developing Countries," South Asian Journal of Macroeconomics and Public Finance, , vol. 6(1), pages 133-156, June.
    18. Alimi, R. Santos & Olorunfemi, Sola, 2018. "Does Inflation Uncertainty Matter for Validity of Romer’s Hypothesis? Evidence from Nigeria," MPRA Paper 90948, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    19. Aliyev, Khatai & Gasimov, Ilkin, 2014. "Openness-Inflation Nexus in South Caucasus Economies," MPRA Paper 62761, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    20. Carlos Esteban Posada & Camilo Morales J., 2007. "Inflación y apertura: evidencia para Colombia (1980-2005)," Borradores de Economia 4286, Banco de la Republica.
    21. Esteban Colla De Robertis, 2010. "Monetary Committee Size and Special Interest Influence," Documentos de Investigación - Research Papers 2, CEMLA.
    22. Mounir MARZOUGUI, 2016. "L’impact de l’instabilité politique sur la volatilité de l’inflation dans les pays en développement," Journal of Academic Finance, RED research unit, university of Gabes, Tunisia, vol. 7(1), June.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Openness; inflation; globalization; volatility; panel data;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • E31 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Prices, Business Fluctuations, and Cycles - - - Price Level; Inflation; Deflation
    • F41 - International Economics - - Macroeconomic Aspects of International Trade and Finance - - - Open Economy Macroeconomics
    • O57 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economywide Country Studies - - - Comparative Studies of Countries

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