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Whither inflation targeting as a global monetary standard?

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  • Claudio Borio

Abstract

From its tentative beginnings, inflation targeting has spread to become the de facto global monetary standard. Historically, only the Gold Standard has had a longer lifespan. Inflation targeting has done its job: helping to hardwire a low-inflation regime, even in the face of the post-Covid inflation surge. But the journey has been far from easy. Inflation targeting had to contend with the rise of financial instability, most spectacularly in the form of the Great Financial Crisis. In the wake of that crisis, it struggled to push inflation back up to point targets, and it saw a historical erosion in the room for policy manoeuvre. This paper assesses these challenges and considers possible adjustments to the framework. These include more systematic consideration of the longer-term damage that financial factors can cause to the economy and of the importance of safety margins in the conduct of policy. And all this should be grounded on a clear recognition of what monetary policy can and cannot deliver.

Suggested Citation

  • Claudio Borio, 2024. "Whither inflation targeting as a global monetary standard?," BIS Working Papers 1230, Bank for International Settlements.
    • Handle: RePEc:bis:biswps:1230
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Mikael Juselius & Claudio Borio & Piti Disyatat & Mathias Drehmann, 2017. "Monetary Policy, the Financial Cycle, and Ultra-Low Interest Rates," International Journal of Central Banking, International Journal of Central Banking, vol. 13(3), pages 55-89, September.
    2. Claudio Borio & Ilhyock Shim & Hyun Song Shin, 2023. "Macro-Financial Stability Frameworks: Experience and Challenges," World Scientific Book Chapters, in: Claudio Borio & Edward S Robinson & Hyun Song Shin (ed.), MACRO-FINANCIAL STABILITY POLICY IN A GLOBALISED WORLD: LESSONS FROM INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE Selected Papers from the Asian Monetary Policy Forum 202, chapter 3, pages 2-49, World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd..
    3. Milton Friedman & Anna J. Schwartz, 1963. "A Monetary History of the United States, 1867–1960," NBER Books, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc, number frie63-1, June.
    4. Iñaki Aldasoro & Stefan Avdjiev & Claudio Borio & Piti Disyatat, 2023. "Global and Domestic Financial Cycles: Variations on a Theme," International Journal of Central Banking, International Journal of Central Banking, vol. 19(5), pages 49-98, December.
    5. Claudio Borio & Marco Jacopo Lombardi & James Yetman & Egon Zakrajsek, 2023. "The two-regime view of inflation," BIS Papers, Bank for International Settlements, number 133, June.
    6. Ahmed, Rashad & Borio, Claudio & Disyatat, Piti & Hofmann, Boris, 2024. "Losing traction? The real effects of monetary policy when interest rates are low," Journal of International Money and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 141(C).
    7. Borio, Claudio & Drehmann, Mathias & Xia, Fan Dora, 2020. "Forecasting recessions: the importance of the financial cycle," Journal of Macroeconomics, Elsevier, vol. 66(C).
    8. Rey, Hélène, 2015. "Dilemma not Trilemma: The Global Financial Cycle and Monetary Policy Independence," CEPR Discussion Papers 10591, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    9. Claudio Borio & Leonardo Gambacorta & Boris Hofmann, 2017. "The influence of monetary policy on bank profitability," International Finance, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 20(1), pages 48-63, March.
    10. Claudio Borio & Craig Furfine & Philip Lowe, 2001. "Procyclicality of the financial system and financial stability: issues and policy options," BIS Papers chapters, in: Bank for International Settlements (ed.), Marrying the macro- and micro-prudential dimensions of financial stability, volume 1, pages 1-57, Bank for International Settlements.
    11. William R. White, 2006. "Is price stability enough?," BIS Working Papers 205, Bank for International Settlements.
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    Cited by:

    1. Christian Conrad & Zeno Enders & Gernot Müller, 2025. "Inflation Forecast Targeting Revisited," CESifo Working Paper Series 12006, CESifo.
    2. Claudio Borio & Matthieu Chavaz, 2025. "Moving targets? Inflation targeting frameworks,1990–2025," BIS Quarterly Review, Bank for International Settlements, March.

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    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • E43 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Money and Interest Rates - - - Interest Rates: Determination, Term Structure, and Effects
    • E51 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Monetary Policy, Central Banking, and the Supply of Money and Credit - - - Money Supply; Credit; Money Multipliers
    • E52 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Monetary Policy, Central Banking, and the Supply of Money and Credit - - - Monetary Policy
    • E58 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Monetary Policy, Central Banking, and the Supply of Money and Credit - - - Central Banks and Their Policies
    • E31 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Prices, Business Fluctuations, and Cycles - - - Price Level; Inflation; Deflation

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