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Inflation Targeting and the Liquidity Trap

In: Inflation Targeting: Desing, Performance, Challenges

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  • Bennett McCallum

    (Carnegie Mellon University)

Abstract

This paper considers whether "liquidity trap" issues have important bearing on the desirability of inflation targeting as a strategy for monetary policy. From a theoretical perspective, it has been suggested that "expectation trap" and "indeterminacy" dangers are created by variants of inflation targeting, the latter when forecasts of future inflation enter the policy rule. This paper argues that these alleged dangers are probably not of practical importance. From an empirical perspective, a quantitative open-economy model is developed and the likelihood of encountering a liquidity trap is explored for several policy rules. Also, it is emphasized that, if a liquidity trap immobilizes the usual interest rate instrument, there is still an exchange-rate channel by means of which monetary policy can exert stabilizing effects. The relevant target variable can still be the inflation rate.
(This abstract was borrowed from another version of this item.)

Suggested Citation

  • Bennett McCallum, 2002. "Inflation Targeting and the Liquidity Trap," Central Banking, Analysis, and Economic Policies Book Series, in: Norman Loayza & Raimundo Soto & Norman Loayza (Series Editor) & Klaus Schmidt-Hebbel (Series Editor) (ed.),Inflation Targeting: Desing, Performance, Challenges, edition 1, volume 5, chapter 9, pages 395-438, Central Bank of Chile.
    • Handle: RePEc:chb:bcchsb:v05c09pp395-438
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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • E52 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Monetary Policy, Central Banking, and the Supply of Money and Credit - - - Monetary Policy
    • E3 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Prices, Business Fluctuations, and Cycles

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