IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/p/bny/wpaper/0141.html

Should Monetary And Fiscal Policy Pull In The Same Direction?

Author

Listed:
  • Drago Bergholt

  • Øistein Røisland

  • Tommy Sveen

  • Ragnar Torvik

Abstract

There is a common view that if monetary and fiscal policy are to be used together for macroeconomic stabilization, they should pull in the same direction. We challenge this view by analyzing the optimal policy mix in a small open economy. We show that when the economy is hit by inflation shocks or exchange rate shocks, monetary and fiscal policy should pull in opposite directions. This policy mix makes more effective use of the exchange rate channel of monetary policy, allowing inflation to be reduced after a shock with lower costs in terms of unemployment. Only in the case of demand shocks, or if there are significant costs associated with the active use of the interest rate, should monetary and fiscal policy pull in the same direction. We then consider automatic stabilizers. As we show, for demand shocks, automatic stabilizers imply that monetary and fiscal policy pull in the same direction. For inflation and exchange rate shocks, on the other hand, automatic stabilizers imply that the two policy instruments pull in opposite directions. These policy interactions are all consistent with our results on the optimal policy mix. Strong automatic stabilizers could therefore serve as a substitute for optimal discretionary fiscal policy in open economies.

Suggested Citation

  • Drago Bergholt & Øistein Røisland & Tommy Sveen & Ragnar Torvik, 2025. "Should Monetary And Fiscal Policy Pull In The Same Direction?," Working Papers No 06/2025, Centre for Applied Macro- and Petroleum economics (CAMP), BI Norwegian Business School.
    • Handle: RePEc:bny:wpaper:0141
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://hdl.handle.net/11250/3212777
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Calmfors, Lars & Hassler, John & Seim, Anna, 2022. "Samspel för stabilitet – en ESO-rapport om rollfördelningen mellan finans- och penningpolitik," ESO-rapporter 2022:3, Expertgruppen för Studier i Offentlig ekonomi (Expert Group on Public Economics).
    2. Adrien Auclert & Matthew Rognlie & Ludwig Straub, 2024. "The Intertemporal Keynesian Cross," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 132(12), pages 4068-4121.
    3. Bilbiie, Florin O. & Monacelli, Tommaso & Perotti, Roberto, 2024. "Stabilization vs. Redistribution: The optimal monetary–fiscal mix," Journal of Monetary Economics, Elsevier, vol. 147(S).
    4. Davide Debortoli & Jordi Galí, 2025. "Heterogeneity and Aggregate Fluctuations: Insights from TANK Models," NBER Macroeconomics Annual, University of Chicago Press, vol. 39(1), pages 307-357.
    5. Bilbiie, Florin O., 2008. "Limited asset markets participation, monetary policy and (inverted) aggregate demand logic," Journal of Economic Theory, Elsevier, vol. 140(1), pages 162-196, May.
    6. Michael Woodford, 2022. "Effective Demand Failures and the Limits of Monetary Stabilization Policy," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 112(5), pages 1475-1521, May.
    7. Dao, Mai & Dizioli, Allan Gloe & Jackson, Chris & Gourinchas, Pierre-Olivier & Leigh, Daniel, 2023. "Unconventional Fiscal Policy in Times of High Inflation," CEPR Discussion Papers 18435, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    8. Auclert, Adrien & Rognlie, Matthew & Souchier, Martin & Straub, Ludwig, 2021. "Exchange Rates and Monetary Policy with Heterogeneous Agents: Sizing up the Real Income Channel," CEPR Discussion Papers 16198, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    9. Svensson, Lars E. O., 2000. "Open-economy inflation targeting," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 50(1), pages 155-183, February.
    10. Xavier Gabaix, 2020. "A Behavioral New Keynesian Model," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 110(8), pages 2271-2327, August.
    11. Justiniano, Alejandro & Preston, Bruce, 2010. "Can structural small open-economy models account for the influence of foreign disturbances?," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 81(1), pages 61-74, May.
    12. Jordi Galí & Tommaso Monacelli, 2005. "Monetary Policy and Exchange Rate Volatility in a Small Open Economy," The Review of Economic Studies, Review of Economic Studies Ltd, vol. 72(3), pages 707-734.
    13. Calvo, Guillermo A., 1983. "Staggered prices in a utility-maximizing framework," Journal of Monetary Economics, Elsevier, vol. 12(3), pages 383-398, September.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Bayer, Christian & Kriwoluzky, Alexander & Müller, Gernot J. & Seyrich, Fabian, 2024. "A HANK2 model of monetary unions," Journal of Monetary Economics, Elsevier, vol. 147(S).
    2. Brzoza-Brzezina, Michał & Galiński, Paweł R. & Makarski, Krzysztof, 2025. "Monetary and fiscal policy in a two-country model with behavioral expectations," Journal of International Money and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 155(C).
    3. Bonciani, Dario & Oh, Joonseok, 2025. "Optimal monetary policy mix at the zero lower bound," Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, Elsevier, vol. 170(C).
    4. Bellifemine, Marco & Couturier, Adrien & Jamilov, Rustam, 2025. "Monetary unions with heterogeneous fiscal space," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 128186, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    5. Bellifemine, Marco & Couturier, Adrien & Jamilov, Rustam, 2025. "Monetary unions with heterogeneous fiscal space," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 156(C).
    6. Paul Ho & Pierre-Daniel G. Sarte & Felipe Schwartzman, 2022. "Multilateral Comovement in a New Keynesian World: A Little Trade Goes a Long Way," Working Paper 22-10, Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond.
    7. Flamini, Alessandro & Milas, Costas, 2015. "Distribution forecast targeting in an open-economy, macroeconomic volatility and financial implications," Journal of Financial Stability, Elsevier, vol. 16(C), pages 89-105.
    8. Maral Kichian & Ali Dib & Carlos de Resende, 2010. "Optimized Monetary Policy Rules in Multi-Sector Small Open Economies: The Role of Real Rigidities," 2010 Meeting Papers 184, Society for Economic Dynamics.
    9. Jesper Lindé & Marianne Nessén & Ulf Söderström, 2009. "Monetary policy in an estimated open-economy model with imperfect pass-through," International Journal of Finance & Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 14(4), pages 301-333.
    10. Adrien Auclert & Matthew Rognlie & Ludwig Straub, 2024. "The Intertemporal Keynesian Cross," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 132(12), pages 4068-4121.
    11. Hagedorn, Marcus & Luo, Jinfeng & Manovskii, Iourii & Mitman, Kurt, 2019. "Forward guidance," Journal of Monetary Economics, Elsevier, vol. 102(C), pages 1-23.
    12. Carlos Garcia & Wildo Gonzalez, 2014. "Why does monetary policy respond to the real exchange rate in small open economies? A Bayesian perspective," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 46(3), pages 789-825, May.
    13. Bilbiie, F. O. & Galaasen, S. M. & Gurkaynak, R. S. & Maehlum, M. & Molnar, K, 2025. "Hanksson," Cambridge Working Papers in Economics 2516, Faculty of Economics, University of Cambridge.
    14. Kamber, Gunes & McDonald, Chris & Sander, Nick & Theodoridis, Konstantinos, 2016. "Modelling the business cycle of a small open economy: The Reserve Bank of New Zealand's DSGE model," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 59(C), pages 546-569.
    15. Yu-chin Chen & Pisut Kulthanavit, 2008. "Adaptive Learning and Monetary Policy: Lessons from Japan," Working Papers UWEC-2008-12-P, University of Washington, Department of Economics, revised Oct 2008.
    16. Alejandro Gurrola Luna & Stephen McKnight, 2025. "Bounded Rationality and Macroeconomic (In)Stability," Serie documentos de trabajo del Centro de Estudios Económicos 2025-02, El Colegio de México, Centro de Estudios Económicos.
    17. Niehof, Britta & Hayo, Bernd, 2014. "Analysis of Monetary Policy Responses after Financial Market Crises in a Continuous Time New Keynesian Model," VfS Annual Conference 2014 (Hamburg): Evidence-based Economic Policy 100410, Verein für Socialpolitik / German Economic Association.
    18. García, Carlos J. & González, Wildo D., 2013. "Exchange rate intervention in small open economies: The role of risk premium and commodity price shocks," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 25(C), pages 424-447.
    19. Buffie, Edward F. & Zanna, Luis-Felipe, 2018. "Limited Asset Market Participation And Determinacy In The Open Economy," Macroeconomic Dynamics, Cambridge University Press, vol. 22(8), pages 1937-1977, December.
    20. Adrien Auclert & Ludwig Straub & Matthew Rognlie, 2019. "Micro Jumps, Macro Humps: monetary policy and business cycles in an estimated HANK model," 2019 Meeting Papers 1449, Society for Economic Dynamics.

    More about this item

    NEP fields

    This paper has been announced in the following NEP Reports:

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:bny:wpaper:0141. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Helene Olsen (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/cambino.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.