Welfare implications of nomimal GDP targeting in a small open economy

Nominal GDP targeting (NGDP) rules have gained attention as a potential alternative to traditional models of monetary policy. In this paper, we extend the analysis of the welfare implications of NGDP rules within a New Keynesian model with nominal price and wage rigidities. Using a welfare function derived from the utility of consumers, we compare the NGDP target with a domestic inflation target, a CPI inflation target, and a Taylor rule in a small open economy scenario. Our simulations reveal that NGDP rules confer advantages on a central bank when the economy faces supply shocks, while their performance against demand shocks is comparable to that of a CPI target rule. These findings suggest that NGDP targeting could be a useful policy framework for central banks seeking to enhance their ability to stabilize the economy.