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Temporary Price Changes, Inflation Regimes and the Propagation of Monetary Shocks

Author

Listed:
  • Fernando Alvarez

    (University of Chicago)

  • Francesco Lippi

    (University of Sassari and EIEF)

Abstract

We analyze a sticky price model where firms choose a price plan, namely a set of two prices. Changing the plan entails a “menu cost”, but either price in the plan can be charged at any point in time. We analytically solve for the optimal policy and for the output response to a monetary shock. The setup rationalizes the coexistence of many price changes, most of which are temporary, with a modest flexibility of the aggregate price level. We present evidence consistent with the model implications using CPI data for Argentina across a wide range of inflation rates.

Suggested Citation

  • Fernando Alvarez & Francesco Lippi, 2018. "Temporary Price Changes, Inflation Regimes and the Propagation of Monetary Shocks," EIEF Working Papers Series 1801, Einaudi Institute for Economics and Finance (EIEF), revised Jan 2018.
    • Handle: RePEc:eie:wpaper:1801
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    10. Fernando Alvarez & Hervé Le Bihan & Francesco Lippi, 2016. "The Real Effects of Monetary Shocks in Sticky Price Models: A Sufficient Statistic Approach," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 106(10), pages 2817-2851, October.
    11. Emi Nakamura & Jón Steinsson, 2008. "Five Facts about Prices: A Reevaluation of Menu Cost Models," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 123(4), pages 1415-1464.
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    Cited by:

    1. Cosmin Ilut & Rosen Valchev & Nicolas Vincent, 2020. "Paralyzed by Fear: Rigid and Discrete Pricing Under Demand Uncertainty," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 88(5), pages 1899-1938, September.
    2. Guido Ascari & Timo Haber, 2019. "Sticky prices and the transmission mechanism of monetary policy: A minimal test of New Keynesian models," Economics Series Working Papers 869, University of Oxford, Department of Economics.
    3. Andrés Blanco & Bernardo Diaz de Astarloa & Andres Drenik & Christian Moser & Danilo R. Trupkin, 2022. "The evolution of the earnings distribution in a volatile economy: Evidence from Argentina," Quantitative Economics, Econometric Society, vol. 13(4), pages 1361-1403, November.
    4. Fernando Alvarez & Francesco Lippi, 2022. "The Analytic Theory of a Monetary Shock," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 90(4), pages 1655-1680, July.
    5. Carlos Esteban Posada, 2023. "Inflation targeting strategy and its credibility," Papers 2301.11207, arXiv.org.
    6. Fernando Alvarez & Francesco Lippi & Aleksei Oskolkov, 2023. "The Macroeconomics of Sticky Prices with Generalized Hazard Functions," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 137(2), pages 989-1038.
    7. Guido Ascari & Timo Haber, 2022. "Non-Linearities, State-Dependent Prices and the Transmission Mechanism of Monetary Policy," The Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 132(641), pages 37-57.

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • E3 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Prices, Business Fluctuations, and Cycles
    • E5 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Monetary Policy, Central Banking, and the Supply of Money and Credit

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