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Central Bank Transparency in Theory and Practice

Author Info

  • Demertzis, Maria

    (De Nederlandsche Bank)

  • Andrew Hughes Hallett

Abstract

We study the effects of Central Bank transparency on inflation and the output gap. We thus first identify a small analytical model which concludes that transparency affects the variability of inflation and output and not their average levels. Then we examine whether this conjecture holds empirically, employing the recently derived index of transparency by Eijffinger and Geraats. The empirical findings confirm that the averages are not affected by transparency. It does seem to explain however, about 50% of the variability in inflation. The relation between transparency and output volatility is less clear but appears to be positive rather than negative.

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Paper provided by Royal Economic Society in its series Royal Economic Society Annual Conference 2003 with number 56.

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Date of creation: 04 Jun 2003
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Handle: RePEc:ecj:ac2003:56
Contact details of provider: Postal: Office of the Secretary-General, School of Economics and Finance, University of St. Andrews, St. Andrews, Fife, KY16 9AL, UK
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Keywords: central bank; economic and political transparency; inflation and output gap performance;

Other versions of this item:

Find related papers by JEL classification:
  • 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

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  1. Lay off Bernanke
    by chris dillow in Stumbling and Mumbling on 2006-05-18 11:08:53
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