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Labor-Market Frictions and Optimal Inflation

Author

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  • Carlsson, Mikael

    (Research Department, Central Bank of Sweden)

  • Westermark, Andreas

    (Research Department, Central Bank of Sweden)

Abstract

In central theories of monetary non-neutrality the Ramsey optimal inflation rate varies between the negative of the real interest rate and zero. This paper explores how the interaction of nominal wage and search and matching frictions affect the policy prescription. We show that adding the combination of such frictions to the canonical monetary model can generate an optimal inflation rate that is significantly positive. Specifically, for a standard U.S. calibration, we find a Ramsey optimal inflation rate of 1.11 percent per year.

Suggested Citation

  • Carlsson, Mikael & Westermark, Andreas, 2012. "Labor-Market Frictions and Optimal Inflation," Working Paper Series 259, Sveriges Riksbank (Central Bank of Sweden).
    • Handle: RePEc:hhs:rbnkwp:0259
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    File URL: http://www.riksbank.se/Documents/Rapporter/Working_papers/2012/rap_wp259_120309.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    3. Kim, Jinill & Ruge-Murcia, Francisco J., 2011. "Monetary policy when wages are downwardly rigid: Friedman meets Tobin," Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, Elsevier, vol. 35(12), pages 2064-2077.
    4. Christoffel, Kai & Kuester, Keith & Linzert, Tobias, 2009. "The role of labor markets for euro area monetary policy," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 53(8), pages 908-936, November.
    5. Galuscak, Kamil & Keeney, Mary & Nicolitsas, Daphne & Smets, Frank & Strzelecki, Pawel & Vodopivec, Matija, 2012. "The determination of wages of newly hired employees: Survey evidence on internal versus external factors," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 19(5), pages 802-812.
    6. Faia, Ester, 2009. "Ramsey monetary policy with labor market frictions," Journal of Monetary Economics, Elsevier, vol. 56(4), pages 570-581, May.
    7. Thomas, Carlos, 2008. "Search and matching frictions and optimal monetary policy," Journal of Monetary Economics, Elsevier, vol. 55(5), pages 936-956, July.
    8. Roberto M. Billi, 2011. "Optimal Inflation for the US Economy," American Economic Journal: Macroeconomics, American Economic Association, vol. 3(3), pages 29-52, July.
    9. Merz, Monika, 1995. "Search in the labor market and the real business cycle," Journal of Monetary Economics, Elsevier, vol. 36(2), pages 269-300, November.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Klaus Adam & Henning Weber, 2020. "Estimating the Optimal Inflation Target From Trends in Relative Prices," CRC TR 224 Discussion Paper Series crctr224_2020_144, University of Bonn and University of Mannheim, Germany.
    2. Consolo, Agostino & Koester, Gerrit & Nickel, Christiane & Porqueddu, Mario & Smets, Frank, 2021. "The need for an inflation buffer in the ECB’s price stability objective – the role of nominal rigidities and inflation differentials," Occasional Paper Series 279, European Central Bank.
    3. Adam, Klaus & Weber, Henning, 2019. "Price trends over the product life cycle and the optimal inflation target," Discussion Papers 32/2019, Deutsche Bundesbank.
    4. Antoine Lepetit, 2017. "The Optimal Inflation Rate with Discount Factor Heterogeneity," Working Papers hal-01527816, HAL.
    5. Philippe Andrade & Jordi Galí & Hervé Le Bihan & Julien Matheron, 2017. "The Optimal Inflation Target and the Natural Rate of Interest," Working Papers 1009, Barcelona Graduate School of Economics.
    6. Klaus Adam & Henning Weber, 2019. "Optimal Trend Inflation," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 109(2), pages 702-737, February.
    7. Cacciatore, Matteo & Ghironi, Fabio, 2021. "Trade, unemployment, and monetary policy," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 132(C).
    8. Anders Vredin, 2015. "Inflation targeting and financial stability: providing policymakers with relevant information," BIS Working Papers 503, Bank for International Settlements.
    9. Tomohide Mineyama & Wataru Hirata & Kenji Nishizaki, 2019. "Inflation and Social Welfare in a New Keynesian Model: The Case of Japan and the U.S," Bank of Japan Working Paper Series 19-E-10, Bank of Japan.
    10. Alfredo García-Hiernaux & María T. González-Pérez & David E. Guerrero, 2020. "Eurozone prices: a tale of convergence and divergence," Working Papers 2010, Banco de España.
    11. Takushi Kurozumi & Willem Van Zandweghe, 2020. "Output-Inflation Trade-offs and the Optimal Inflation Rate," Working Papers 20-20, Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland.
    12. Adam, Klaus & Weber, Henning, 2017. "Optimal Trend Inflation," CEPR Discussion Papers 12160, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    13. Nurlan Turdaliev, 2019. "Heterogeneity and monetary policy," Journal of Economics, Springer, vol. 128(2), pages 119-145, October.
    14. Apel, Mikael & Armelius, Hanna & Claussen, Carl Andreas, 2017. "The level of the inflation target – a review of the issues," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, pages 36-56.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Optimal Monetary Policy; Inflation; Labor-market Distortions;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • E52 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Monetary Policy, Central Banking, and the Supply of Money and Credit - - - Monetary Policy
    • H21 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - Efficiency; Optimal Taxation
    • J60 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - General

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