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Menu Costs and Asymmetric Price Adjustment

Author

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  • Ellingsen, Tore
  • Hassler, John
  • Friberg, Richard

Abstract

We study optimal price setting by a monopolist in an infinite horizon model with stochastic costs, moderate inflation, and costly price adjustment. For realistic parameters, chosen to replicate observed frequencies of price changes, the model fits numerically several empirical regularities. In particular, price reductions are larger but less frequent than price increases, and prices respond considerably faster to cost increases than to cost decreases. The associated kink in the steady state short-run Phillips curve implies that the output loss associated with a small negative inflation surprise is about twice as large as the output gain associated with a small positive inflation surprise.

Suggested Citation

  • Ellingsen, Tore & Hassler, John & Friberg, Richard, 2006. "Menu Costs and Asymmetric Price Adjustment," CEPR Discussion Papers 5749, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
  • Handle: RePEc:cpr:ceprdp:5749
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    Cited by:

    1. Levy, Daniel & Snir, Avichai & Gotler, Alex & Chen, Haipeng (Allan), 2020. "Not all price endings are created equal: Price points and asymmetric price rigidity," Journal of Monetary Economics, Elsevier, vol. 110(C), pages 33-49.
    2. Rather, Sartaj Rasool & Durai, S. Raja Sethu & Ramachandran, M., 2015. "Asymmetric price adjustment – evidence for India," The Journal of Economic Asymmetries, Elsevier, vol. 12(2), pages 73-79.
    3. Adam Reiff & Peter Karadi, 2011. "Large Shocks in Menu Cost Models," 2011 Meeting Papers 884, Society for Economic Dynamics.
    4. Bagnai, Alberto & Mongeau Ospina, Christian Alexander, 2018. "Asymmetries, outliers and structural stability in the US gasoline market," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 69(C), pages 250-260.
    5. Gunwant, Darshita Fulara & Rather, Sartaj Rasool, 2021. "Transmission of world price shocks - Evidence from GCC countries," The Journal of Economic Asymmetries, Elsevier, vol. 24(C).
    6. James Yetman, 2009. "Hong Kong Consumer Prices are Flexible," Working Papers 052009, Hong Kong Institute for Monetary Research.
    7. Peter Karadi & Adam Reiff, 2019. "Menu Costs, Aggregate Fluctuations, and Large Shocks," American Economic Journal: Macroeconomics, American Economic Association, vol. 11(3), pages 111-146, July.
    8. Bo E. Honoré & Daniel Kaufmann & Sarah Lein, 2012. "Asymmetries in Price‐Setting Behavior: New Microeconometric Evidence from Switzerland," Journal of Money, Credit and Banking, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 44(s2), pages 211-236, December.
    9. Ralph-C Bayer & Changxia Ke, 2010. "Rockets and Feathers in the Laboratory," School of Economics and Public Policy Working Papers 2010-20, University of Adelaide, School of Economics and Public Policy.
    10. Kenichi MATSUMOTO & Azusa OKAGAWA, 2010. "Analysis of Economic and Environmental Impacts of CO2 Abatement in Japan Applying a CGE Model with Knowledge Investment," EcoMod2010 259600115, EcoMod.
    11. Bagnai, Alberto & Mongeau Ospina, Christian Alexander, 2016. "“Asymmetric asymmetries” in Eurozone markets gasoline pricing," The Journal of Economic Asymmetries, Elsevier, vol. 13(C), pages 89-99.
    12. Péter Karádi & Ádám Reiff, 2010. "Inflation asymmetry, menu costs and aggregation bias – A further case for state dependent pricing," MNB Working Papers 2010/3, Magyar Nemzeti Bank (Central Bank of Hungary).
    13. Emi Nakamura & Jón Steinsson, 2008. "Five Facts about Prices: A Reevaluation of Menu Cost Models," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, Oxford University Press, vol. 123(4), pages 1415-1464.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Asymmetric price adjustment; Downward rigidity; Menu costs; Phillips curve;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D42 - Microeconomics - - Market Structure, Pricing, and Design - - - Monopoly
    • E31 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Prices, Business Fluctuations, and Cycles - - - Price Level; Inflation; Deflation
    • E32 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Prices, Business Fluctuations, and Cycles - - - Business Fluctuations; Cycles

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