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The perils of narrowing fiscal spaces

Author

Listed:
  • Hanno Kase
  • Leonardo Melosi
  • Sebastian Rast
  • Matthias Rottner

Abstract

When public debt is elevated, the fiscal cost of fighting inflation rises sharply, as interest rate hikes increase government interest expenditures. We formalize this mechanism in a nonlinear New Keynesian model with a state-dependent fiscal constraint on monetary policy. High debt may dampen the monetary response to inflation, generating an inflationary bias even though government debt remains fully fiscally backed. The interaction between high debt and inflationary cost-push shocks makes the fiscal limit more likely to bind, amplifying inflation. In demand-driven downturns, the fiscal constraint may become more restrictive than the zero lower bound, forcing the central bank to either print money to purchase excess debt or accept fiscal dominance.

Suggested Citation

  • Hanno Kase & Leonardo Melosi & Sebastian Rast & Matthias Rottner, 2026. "The perils of narrowing fiscal spaces," BIS Working Papers 1328, Bank for International Settlements.
    • Handle: RePEc:bis:biswps:1328
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    JEL classification:

    • 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
    • E62 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Macroeconomic Policy, Macroeconomic Aspects of Public Finance, and General Outlook - - - Fiscal Policy; Modern Monetary Theory
    • E58 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Monetary Policy, Central Banking, and the Supply of Money and Credit - - - Central Banks and Their Policies

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