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Inflation, price dispersion and market integration through the lens of a monetary search model

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  • Becker, Sascha S.
  • Nautz, Dieter

Abstract

Monetary search theory implies that the real effects of inflation via its impact on price dispersion depend on the level of search costs and, thus, on the level of market integration. For less integrated markets, the inflation-price dispersion nexus is predicted to be asymmetrically V-shaped which results in an optimal inflation rate above zero. For highly integrated markets with low search costs, however, the impact of inflation on price dispersion should only be small. Using price data of the European Union member states, this paper is the first that tests and confirms these predictions of monetary search theory.

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  • Becker, Sascha S. & Nautz, Dieter, 2010. "Inflation, price dispersion and market integration through the lens of a monetary search model," SFB 649 Discussion Papers 2010-058, Humboldt University Berlin, Collaborative Research Center 649: Economic Risk.
    • Handle: RePEc:zbw:sfb649:sfb649dp2010-058
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    3. Bakri Abdul Karim & Jyiona Fam Jxiaw Linn & Zulkefly Abdul Karim, 2017. "Determinants of the Islamic Stock Markets Integration," Accounting and Finance Research, Sciedu Press, vol. 6(3), pages 147-147, August.
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    5. Kausik Chaudhuri & Matthew Greenwood-Nimmo & Minjoo Kim & Yongcheol Shin, 2013. "On the Asymmetric U-Shaped Relationship between Inflation, Inflation Uncertainty, and Relative Price Skewness in the UK," Journal of Money, Credit and Banking, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 45(7), pages 1431-1449, October.
    6. Khan, Muhammad, 2016. "Evidence on the functional form of inflation and output growth variability relationship in European economies," International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 146(C), pages 1-11.
    7. Mustafa Caglayan & Ozge Kandemir & Kostas Mouratidis, 2012. "The Impact of Inflation Uncertainty on Economic Growth: A MRS-IV Approach," Working Papers 2012025, The University of Sheffield, Department of Economics.
    8. Lucas Herrenbrueck, 2017. "An Open-Economy Model With Money, Endogenous Search, And Heterogeneous Firms," Economic Inquiry, Western Economic Association International, vol. 55(4), pages 1648-1670, October.
    9. Rodrigo Cerda & Alvaro Silva & Rolf Lüders, 2021. "Price controls, hyperinflation, and the inflation–relative price variability relationship," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 61(4), pages 1725-1748, October.
    10. Mammen, Enno & Rothe, Christoph & Schienle, Melanie, 2010. "Nonparametric regression with nonparametrically generated covariates," SFB 649 Discussion Papers 2010-059, Humboldt University Berlin, Collaborative Research Center 649: Economic Risk.
    11. Becker, Sascha, 2011. "What drives the relationship between inflation and price dispersion? Market power vs. price rigidity," SFB 649 Discussion Papers 2011-019, Humboldt University Berlin, Collaborative Research Center 649: Economic Risk.
    12. Sartaj Rasool Rather & S. Raja Sethu Durai & M. Ramachandran, 2015. "Inflation and the Dispersion of Component Price Indices: A Case for Four Percent Solution," Working Papers 2015-134, Madras School of Economics,Chennai,India.
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    inflation; relative price variability; monetary search; market integration.;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C23 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Single Equation Models; Single Variables - - - Models with Panel Data; Spatio-temporal Models
    • D40 - Microeconomics - - Market Structure, Pricing, and Design - - - General
    • E31 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Prices, Business Fluctuations, and Cycles - - - Price Level; Inflation; Deflation
    • F40 - International Economics - - Macroeconomic Aspects of International Trade and Finance - - - General

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