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Changing prices ... changing times: evidence for Italy

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  • Silvia Fabiani

    (Bank of Italy)

  • Mario Porqueddu

    (Bank of Italy)

Abstract

This paper examines the process of adjustment of prices in Italy to determine whether nominal flexibility, measured by the frequency of price changes, has increased in the recent years of protracted stagnation and double-dip recession. The analysis is based on a large micro-level dataset of individual prices collected monthly by Istat from 2006 to 2013 for the Consumer Price Index. We find that both the percentage of prices adjusted monthly and the average size of the adjustment have risen significantly since the 1996-2001 period, in particular for downward changes. This greater flexibility is related in part to the spread of modern distribution structures. Our estimates further indicate that the recession has affected the price adjustment mechanism: for manufactures, price cuts have become larger and more frequent, while increases are more moderate; for services, both the frequency and the size of price increases have diminished.

Suggested Citation

  • Silvia Fabiani & Mario Porqueddu, 2015. "Changing prices ... changing times: evidence for Italy," Questioni di Economia e Finanza (Occasional Papers) 275, Bank of Italy, Economic Research and International Relations Area.
    • Handle: RePEc:bdi:opques:qef_275_15
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. N. Berardi. & E. Gautier., 2016. "Adjustments in consumer prices in France in periods of low inflation," Quarterly selection of articles - Bulletin de la Banque de France, Banque de France, issue 41, pages 51-65, spring.
    2. Guido Bulligan & Eliana Viviano, 2017. "Has the wage Phillips curve changed in the euro area?," IZA Journal of Labor Policy, Springer;Forschungsinstitut zur Zukunft der Arbeit GmbH (IZA), vol. 6(1), pages 1-22, December.
    3. S. Avouyi-Dovi. & R. Lecat. & C. O’Donnell. & B. Bureau. & J.-P. Villetelle., 2016. "Corporate loans at particularly low rates in France," Quarterly selection of articles - Bulletin de la Banque de France, Banque de France, issue 41, pages 27-39, spring.
    4. R. Cezar & A. Duguet & G. Gaulier & V. Vicard, 2017. "Competition for global value added: domestic and export market shares," Rue de la Banque, Banque de France, issue 36, january..
    5. N. Berardi. & E. Gautier., 2016. "Adjustments in consumer prices in France in periods of low inflation," Quarterly selection of articles - Bulletin de la Banque de France, Banque de France, issue 41, pages 51-65, spring.
    6. Francesco D�Amuri & Silvia Fabiani & Roberto Sabbatini & Raffaele Tartaglia Polcini & Fabrizio Venditti & Eliana Viviano & Roberta Zizza, 2015. "Wages and prices in Italy during the crisis: the firms� perspective," Questioni di Economia e Finanza (Occasional Papers) 289, Bank of Italy, Economic Research and International Relations Area.
    7. S. Castor. & H. Caradant. & V. Chauvin. & T. Mosquera Yon., 2016. "France’s international trade in services," Quarterly selection of articles - Bulletin de la Banque de France, Banque de France, issue 41, pages 17-26, spring.
    8. Álvarez, Luis J. & Sánchez, Isabel, 2019. "Inflation projections for monetary policy decision making," Journal of Policy Modeling, Elsevier, vol. 41(4), pages 568-585.
    9. S. Humbertclaude. & R. Lecat. & F. Monteil., 2016. "France’s national economic wealth declined by 1.8% in 2014," Quarterly selection of articles - Bulletin de la Banque de France, Banque de France, issue 41, pages 41-49, spring.
    10. Juan Carlos Berganza & Pedro del Río & Fructuoso Borrallo, 2016. "Determinants and implications of low global inflation rates," Occasional Papers 1608, Banco de España.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    consumer prices; nominal flexibility; frequency of price adjustmen.;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • E31 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Prices, Business Fluctuations, and Cycles - - - Price Level; Inflation; Deflation
    • D21 - Microeconomics - - Production and Organizations - - - Firm Behavior: Theory
    • D40 - Microeconomics - - Market Structure, Pricing, and Design - - - General
    • L11 - Industrial Organization - - Market Structure, Firm Strategy, and Market Performance - - - Production, Pricing, and Market Structure; Size Distribution of Firms

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