Indirect convertibility as a money rule for inflation targeting

Abstract

In this paper we re-examine the case for Indirect Convertibility made by Greenfield and Yeager (1983, 1989) as a mechanism for promoting greater internal price level stability. We argue that with some reinterpretation, indirect convertibility can be interpreted as a convenient, practical monetary policy rule by which central banks engaged in inflation targeting can better achieve their price stabilization goals. It also implies that the more general acceptance of indirect convertibility by a set of countries pursuing a common inflation target would better coordinate group success and by doing so could form an important intermediate step in coordinating the adoption of a common currency