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Monopolistic Competition, Sticky Prices, and the Minimal Mark-Up in Steady State

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Abstract

This note reports the rate of inflation that minimizes the mark-up of prices over marginal costs in the steady-state solution of a monopolistic competition model with either Taylor (1980) or Calvo (1983) pricing. The minimal mark-up is always found at a positive and low rate of inflation for any sensible parameter calibration. Actually, the rate of inflation that minimizes the mark-up is very close to ratio between the real rate of discount and the Dixit-Stiglitz elasticity. This result is robust to altenative sticky-price specifications.

Suggested Citation

  • Miguel Casares, 2007. "Monopolistic Competition, Sticky Prices, and the Minimal Mark-Up in Steady State," Documentos de Trabajo - Lan Gaiak Departamento de Economía - Universidad Pública de Navarra 0702, Departamento de Economía - Universidad Pública de Navarra.
    • Handle: RePEc:nav:ecupna:0702
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. V. V. Chari & Patrick J. Kehoe & Ellen R. McGrattan, 2000. "Sticky Price Models of the Business Cycle: Can the Contract Multiplier Solve the Persistence Problem?," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 68(5), pages 1151-1180, September.
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    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • E12 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - General Aggregative Models - - - Keynes; Keynesian; Post-Keynesian; Modern Monetary Theory
    • E31 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Prices, Business Fluctuations, and Cycles - - - Price Level; Inflation; Deflation

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