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Inflation expectations, consumption and the lower bound: Micro evidence from a large multi-country survey

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  • Duca-Radu, Ioana
  • Kenny, Geoff
  • Reuter, Andreas

Abstract

Using a large multi-country survey and new pseudo panel dataset, we investigate the spending response of consumers to their beliefs about future inflation. The analysis exploits the deviation of expected inflation from the currently perceived inflation rate - a choice motivated by local approximation of the traditional Euler equation. This helps control for unobserved heterogeneity and highlights a positive and economically relevant spending response that is generalised in the population and across countries. Also a stronger positive response is observed when the lower bound is binding, thus lending credence to the stabilisation properties of higher inflation expectations during such episodes.

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  • Duca-Radu, Ioana & Kenny, Geoff & Reuter, Andreas, 2021. "Inflation expectations, consumption and the lower bound: Micro evidence from a large multi-country survey," Journal of Monetary Economics, Elsevier, vol. 118(C), pages 120-134.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:moneco:v:118:y:2021:i:c:p:120-134
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jmoneco.2020.03.005
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    Cited by:

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    3. Ehrmann, Michael & Blinder, Alan & De Haan, Jakob & ,, 2022. "Central Bank Communication with the General Public: Promise or False Hope?," CEPR Discussion Papers 17441, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    4. Bui, Dzung & Dräger, Lena & Hayo, Bernd & Nghiem, Giang, 2020. "Consumer Sentiment During the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Role of Others‘ Beliefs," Hannover Economic Papers (HEP) dp-680, Leibniz Universität Hannover, Wirtschaftswissenschaftliche Fakultät, revised Apr 2021.
    5. Niizeki, Takeshi & Hori, Masahiro, 2023. "Inflation expectations and household expenditure: Evidence from pseudo-panel data in Japan," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 214(C), pages 308-324.
    6. Dräger, Lena & Lamla, Michael J. & Pfajfar, Damjan, 2020. "The Hidden Heterogeneity of Inflation and Interest Rate Expectations: The Role of Preferences," Hannover Economic Papers (HEP) dp-666, Leibniz Universität Hannover, Wirtschaftswissenschaftliche Fakultät, revised Feb 2023.
    7. Zaman, Rafia & Das, Debasish Kumar & van Vliet, Oscar & Posch, Alfred, 2021. "Distributional inequality in market-based solar home system programs: Evidence from rural Bangladesh," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 103(C).
    8. Andrade, Philippe & Gautier, Erwan & Mengus, Eric, 2023. "What matters in households’ inflation expectations?," Journal of Monetary Economics, Elsevier, vol. 138(C), pages 50-68.
    9. Claus, Edda & Nguyen, Viet Hoang, 2023. "Biased expectations," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 154(C).
    10. Felici, Marco & Kenny, Geoff & Friz, Roberta, 2023. "Consumer savings behaviour at low and negative interest rates," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 157(C).
    11. Dräger, Lena, 2023. "Central Bank Communication with the General Public," Hannover Economic Papers (HEP) dp-713, Leibniz Universität Hannover, Wirtschaftswissenschaftliche Fakultät.
    12. Viral V. Acharya & Matteo Crosignani & Tim Eisert & Christian Eufinger, 2023. "How Do Supply Shocks to Inflation Generalize? Evidence from the Pandemic Era in Europe," NBER Working Papers 31790, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    13. Dräger, Lena & Lamla, Michael J., 2023. "Consumers' Macroeconomic Expectations," Hannover Economic Papers (HEP) dp-714, Leibniz Universität Hannover, Wirtschaftswissenschaftliche Fakultät.
    14. Stanisławska, Ewa & Paloviita, Maritta & Łyziak, Tomasz, 2021. "Consumer inflation views: Micro-level inconsistencies and macro-level measures," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 206(C).
    15. Eminidou, Snezana & Geiger, Martin & Zachariadis, Marios, 2023. "Public debt and state-dependent effects of fiscal policy in the euro area," Journal of International Money and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 130(C).
    16. Geiger, Martin & Gründler, Daniel & Scharler, Johann, 2023. "Monetary policy shocks and consumer expectations in the euro area," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 140(C).
    17. Huber, Stefanie J. & Minina, Daria & Schmidt, Tobias, 2023. "The pass-through from inflation perceptions to inflation expectations," Discussion Papers 17/2023, Deutsche Bundesbank.
    18. Carin van der Cruijsen & Anna Samarina, 2021. "Trust in the ECB in turbulent times," Working Papers 722, DNB.
    19. Metiu, Norbert & Prieto, Esteban, 2023. "The macroeconomic effects of inflation uncertainty," Discussion Papers 32/2023, Deutsche Bundesbank.
    20. Herzog, Bodo, 2023. "How credible is average and symmetric inflation targeting in an episode of high inflation?," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 80(C), pages 1750-1761.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Consumer inflation expectations; Consumption; Lower bound; Micro data;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D12 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior - - - Consumer Economics: Empirical Analysis
    • D84 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Expectations; Speculations
    • E21 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Consumption, Saving, Production, Employment, and Investment - - - Consumption; Saving; Wealth
    • E31 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Prices, Business Fluctuations, and Cycles - - - Price Level; Inflation; Deflation
    • E52 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Monetary Policy, Central Banking, and the Supply of Money and Credit - - - Monetary Policy

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