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Endogenous wage indexation and aggregate shocks

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  • Julio A. Carrillo
  • Gert Peersman
  • Joris Wauters

Abstract

Empirical and institutional evidence finds considerable time variation in the degree of wage indexation to past inflation, a finding that is at odds with the assumption of constant indexation parameters in most New-Keynesian DSGE models. We build a DSGE model with endogenous wage indexation in which utility maximizing workers select a wage indexation rule in response to aggregate shocks and monetary policy. We show that workers index wages to past inflation when output fluctuations are driven by technology and permanent inflation-target shocks, whereas they index to trend inflation when aggregate demand shocks dominate output fluctuations. The model's equilibrium wage setting can explain the time variation in wage indexation found in post-WWII U.S. data.

Suggested Citation

  • Julio A. Carrillo & Gert Peersman & Joris Wauters, 2017. "Endogenous wage indexation and aggregate shocks," BIS Working Papers 604, Bank for International Settlements.
    • Handle: RePEc:bis:biswps:604
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    3. Gabriel Cuadra & Victoria Nuguer, 2018. "Risky Banks and Macro-Prudential Policy for Emerging Economies," Review of Economic Dynamics, Elsevier for the Society for Economic Dynamics, vol. 30, pages 125-144, October.
    4. De Schryder, Selien & Peersman, Gert & Wauters, Joris, 2020. "Wage indexation and the monetary policy regime," Journal of Macroeconomics, Elsevier, vol. 63(C).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Wage indexation; Welfare costs; Nominal rigidities;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • E24 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Consumption, Saving, Production, Employment, and Investment - - - Employment; Unemployment; Wages; Intergenerational Income Distribution; Aggregate Human Capital; Aggregate Labor Productivity
    • E32 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Prices, Business Fluctuations, and Cycles - - - Business Fluctuations; Cycles
    • 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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