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How Do Households Respond to Expected Inflation? An Investigation of Transmission Mechanisms

Author

Listed:
  • Janet Hua Jiang

    (Bank of Canada)

  • Rupal Kamdar

    (Indiana University)

  • Kelin Lu

    (Huazhong University of Science and Technology)

  • Daniela Puzzello

    (Indiana University)

Abstract

We disentangle the channels through which inflation expectations affect household spending. We conduct a survey featuring hypothetical scenarios that generate a controlled increase in inflation expectations. For 74% of households, current spending is unresponsive, typically due to fixed budget plans or irrelevance of inflation expectations. About 20% of households reduce spending, often citing wealth effects, nominal income rigidity, and inflation hedging. Only 6% increase spending due to intertemporal substitution or stockpiling. Respondents who expect other economic variables to deteriorate are more likely to reduce spending. Our findings suggest manipulating inflation expectations to boost consumer spending may not be an effective policy tool.

Suggested Citation

  • Janet Hua Jiang & Rupal Kamdar & Kelin Lu & Daniela Puzzello, 2024. "How Do Households Respond to Expected Inflation? An Investigation of Transmission Mechanisms," CAEPR Working Papers 2024-004 Classification-D, Center for Applied Economics and Policy Research, Department of Economics, Indiana University Bloomington.
    • Handle: RePEc:inu:caeprp:2024004
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    File URL: https://caepr.indiana.edu/RePEc/inu/caeprp/caepr2024-004.pdf
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    Cited by:

    1. Yuriy Gorodnichenko & Dimitris Georgarakos & Geoff Kenny & Olivier Coibion, 2025. "The Impact of Geopolitical Risk on Consumer Expectations and Spending," NBER Working Papers 34195, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    2. Volha Audzei & Sergey Slobodyan, 2025. "Dynamic Sparse Adaptive Learning," Working Papers 2025/9, Czech National Bank, Research and Statistics Department.
    3. Kamdar, Rupal & Ray, Walker, 2024. "Attention-Driven Sentiment and the Business Cycle," CEPR Discussion Papers 18984, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    4. Schnorpfeil, Philip & Weber, Michael & Hackethal, Andreas, 2025. "Inflation and Trading," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 173(C).
    5. Carola Conces Binder & Rupal Kamdar & Jane M. Ryngaert, 2024. "Partisan Expectations and COVID-Era Inflation," NBER Chapters, in: Inflation in the COVID Era and Beyond, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    6. Francesco D'Acunto & Janet Gao & Lu Liu & Kai Lu & Zhengwei Wang & Jun Yang, 2025. "Subjective Expectations and Financial Intermediation," CESifo Working Paper Series 11780, CESifo.

    More about this item

    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • D15 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior - - - Intertemporal Household Choice; Life Cycle Models and Saving
    • D84 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Expectations; Speculations
    • E2 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Consumption, Saving, Production, Employment, and Investment
    • E52 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Monetary Policy, Central Banking, and the Supply of Money and Credit - - - Monetary Policy
    • E7 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Macro-Based Behavioral Economics

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