New Keynesian Model Research Articles

Pegging the Interest Rate on Bank Reserves

We develop a model of monetary policy with a small departure from the basic New Keynesian (NK) model. In this model, the central bank can set the interest rate on bank reserves and the nominal stock of bank reserves independently, because these reserves reduce the costs of banking (i.e., have a convenience yield). The model delivers local-equilibrium determinacy under a permanent interest-rate peg. Consequently, it does not share the puzzling and paradoxical implications of the basic NK model under a temporary peg (e.g., in the context of a liquidity trap). More specifically, it offers a resolution of the forward guidance puzzle, a related puzzle about fiscal multipliers, and the paradox of flexibility, even for an arbitrarily small departure from the basic NK model (i.e., arbitrarily small banking costs and convenience yield of reserves).

The Consumption Multiplier of Government Purchases: Evidence from U.S. States

We analyze evidence from US states to compute the open economy relative multiplier along the lines of Nakamura and Steinsson (2014). Identification of exogenous government spending shocks is achieved by exploiting the secular tendency of some states to receive a disproportionate share of military spending relative to others. Our contribution is twofold. First, we gather additional procurement data to extend the previous series until 2013, thus including the Great Recession and its aftermath. Second, to our knowledge, this is the first attempt at analyzing the effects of military spending shocks on an aggregate consumption measure at state level. Estimated short run multipliers on output range between 1.3 and 1.6. There is some weak evidence that points to a positive effect on private consumption in the short run. Nonlinearities in the estimated multipliers seem to play a much more important role: both output and consumption respond sharply when unemployment is relatively high, or since the onset of the Great Recession. We use these estimates as a diagnostic tool to evaluate the performance of competing models of the economy. The strong evidence pointing to state-dependent multipliers, even after controlling for monetary policy, seems to be consistent with the predictions of a New-Keynesian model with credit-constrained consumers.

Solving endogenous regime switching models

This paper solves rational expectations models in which structural parameters switch across multiple regimes according to state-dependent (endogenous) transition probabilities. Assuming small shocks and smooth transition probabilities, we apply a perturbation approach. We first provide for conditions under which a unique bounded equilibrium exists. We then compute first- and second-order approximations. In a new-Keynesian model with monetary policy switching, we document new effects of monetary policy switching when transition probabilities depend on inflation.

Monetary Policy and the Relative Price of Durable Goods

In a SVAR model of the US, the response of the relative price of durables to a monetary contraction is either flat or mildly positive. It significantly falls only if narrowly defined as the ratio between new-house and nondurables prices. These findings are rationalized via the estimation of a two-sector New-Keynesian (NK) models. Durables prices are estimated to be as sticky as nondurables, leading to a flat relative price response to a monetary shock. Conversely, house prices are estimated to be almost flexible. Such results survive several robustness checks and a three-sector extension of the NK model. These findings have implications for building two-sector NK models with durable and nondurable goods, and for the conduct of monetary policy.

Sectoral Labor Mobility and Optimal Monetary Policy

How should central banks optimally aggregate sectoral inflation rates in the presence of imperfect labor mobility across sectors? We study this issue in a two-sector New-Keynesian model and show that a lower degree of sectoral labor mobility, ceteris paribus, increases the optimal weight on inflation in a sector that would otherwise receive a lower weight. We analytically and numerically find that, with limited labor mobility, adjustment to asymmetric shocks cannot fully occur through the reallocation of labor, thus putting more pressure on wages, causing inefficient movements in relative prices, and creating scope for central banks intervention. These findings challenge standard central banks practice of computing sectoral inflation weights based solely on sector size, and unveil a significant role for the degree of sectoral labor mobility to play in the optimal computation. In an extended estimated model of the U.S. economy, featuring customary frictions and shocks, the estimated inflation weights imply a decrease in welfare up to 10 percent relative to the case of optimal weights.

Monetary Policy and the Relative Price of Durable Goods

In a VAR model of the US, the response of the relative price of durables to a monetary contraction is either flat or mildly positive. It significantly falls only if narrowly defined as the ratio between new house and nondurables prices. These findings survive three identification strategies and across subsamples. Then, they are rationalized via the estimation of a two-sector New-Keynesian model. Here, the degree of overall durables price stickiness is not dramatically lower than that of nondurables. Such macroeconometric results are close to recent microeconometric evidence. Moreover, they suggest that monetary policy is not very distortive of sectoral allocations.

Sectoral Labor Mobility and Optimal Monetary Policy

In an estimated two-sector New-Keynesian model with durable and nondurable goods, an inverse relationship between sectoral labor mobility and the optimal weight the central bank should attach to durables inflation arises. The combination of nominal wage stickiness and limited labor mobility leads to a nonzero optimal weight for durables inflation even if durables prices were fully flexible. These results survive alternative calibrations and interestrate rules and point toward a non-negligible role of sectoral labor mobility for the conduct of monetary policy.

Systemic Risk: A New Trade-Off for Monetary Policy?

We introduce time-varying systemic risk in an otherwise standard New-Keynesian model to study whether a simple leaning-against-the-wind policy can reduce systemic risk and improve welfare. We find that an unexpected increase in policy rates reduces output, inflation, and asset prices without fundamentally mitigating financial risks. We also find that while a systematic monetary policy reaction can improve welfare, it is too simplistic: (1) it is highly sensitive to parameters of the model and (2) is detrimental in the presence of falling asset prices. Macroprudential policy, similar to a countercyclical capital requirement, is more robust and leads to higher welfare gains.

Trend Inflation and Exchange Rate Dynamics: A New Keynesian Approach

The paper studies exchange rate implications of trend inflation within a two-country New Keynesian (NK) model under incomplete international financial markets. A NK Phillips curve generalized by trend inflation with a positive long-run mean implies an expectational difference equation of inflation with higher-order leads of expected inflation. The resulting two-country inflation differential is smoother, more persistent, and more insensitive to a real exchange rate. General equilibrium then yields (i) a persistent real exchange rate with an autoregressive root close to one, (ii) a hump-shaped impulse response of a real exchange rate with a half-life longer than four years, (iii) a volatile real exchange rate relative to cross-country inflation differential, (iv) an almost perfect co-movement between real and nominal exchange rates and (v) a sharp rise in the volatility of a real exchange rate from a managed nominal exchange rate regime to a flexible one within an otherwise standard two-country NK model. Trend inflation, therefore, approaches empirical puzzles of exchange rates dynamics.

Asymmetric preferences and monetary policy deviations

This paper examines the linkages between monetary policy equilibria and asymmetric preferences. Much has been written on the relationship between discretionary monetary policy and policy under commitment from a timeless perspective. Additionally, there is a relatively robust literature that suggests monetary policy in the U.S. responds asymmetrically to fluctuations in the output gap. Here, asymmetric optimal policy is analyzed under both commitment and discretion in a simple dynamic New-Keynesian model. The timeless perspective equilibrium leads to a policy rule with inertia (consistent with the literature), but in this case implies asymmetry over time. This result is not found under discretion. Both model variants and those imposing linearity are estimated for five developed economies. Policy deviations are simulated for the linear and nonlinear rules. Results imply that the asymmetric commitment policy produces the lowest average deviations from observed policy, and also the policy deviations with the smallest variance, for all five countries. A linear Taylor rule produces statistically larger average deviations than both asymmetric commitment and asymmetric discretionary policy.

Some unpleasant properties of loglinearized solutions when the nominal rate is zero

Does fiscal policy have large and qualitatively different effects on the economy when the nominal interest rate is zero? An emerging consensus in the New Keynesian (NK) literature is that the answer to this question is yes. Evidence presented here suggests that the NK model׳s implications for fiscal policy at the zero bound may not be all that different from its implications for policy away from it. For a range of empirically relevant parameterizations, employment increases when the labor tax rate is cut and the government purchase multiplier is less than 1.05.

Globalization, Market Structure and Inflation Dynamics

The decline in the sensitivity of inflation to domestic slack observed in developed countries since the mid 1980’s has been often attributed to globalization. However, this intuition has so far not been formalized. I develop a general equilibrium setup in which the sensitivity of inflation to marginal cost decreases when international trade costs fall. In order to do so, I add three ingredients to an otherwise standard two-country new-Keynesian model. Strategic interactions generate a time varying desired markup; endogenous entry and heterogeneous productivity engender a self-selection of the most productive firms (also the largest ones) in international trade. Hence the weight of large firms in domestic production increases. These firms transmit less marginal cost fluctuations to price adjustments, rather absorbing them into their desired markup in order to protect their market share. At the aggregate level, domestic inflation reacts less to real activity fluctuations.

Competitive moment matching of a New-Keynesian and an Old-Keynesian model

The paper considers two rival models referring to the new macroeconomic consensus: a standard three-equation model of the New-Keynesian variety versus dynamic adjustments of a business and an inflation climate in an ‘Old-Keynesian’ tradition. Over the two subperiods of the Great Inflation and Great Moderation, both of them are estimated by the method of simulated moments. An innovative feature is here that the moments do not only include the autocovariances up to eight lags of quarterly output, inflation and the interest rate, but optionally also a measure of the raggedness of the three variables. In short, the performance of the Old-Keynesian model is very satisfactory and similar to the New-Keynesian model, or even better. In particular, the Old-Keynesian model is better suited to match the new moments without deteriorating the original second moments too much.

Following the leader? The relevance of the Fed funds rate for inflation targeting countries

In a New-Keynesian model for a small open economy, we derive a CPI inflation-based Taylor rule that implements the flexible price allocation. We conclude that, in this rule, the natural rate of interest should be linked to the foreign interest rate and to domestic productivity shocks. This rule ensures that the CPI real rate moves in order to induce movements in consumption that are coherent with the flexible price allocation. The empirical evidence shows that inflation-targeting central banks respond to movements in the Fed funds rate, besides reacting to expected CPI inflation and to the domestic output gap. This is true for developed and emerging economies. Furthermore, we find that in emerging countries the response to foreign variables is not different from zero, as suggested by theory, when domestic inflation, rather than CPI inflation, is introduced in the policy rule.

Partial inflation indexation and long-run inflation targeting in a growing economy: A comparison of Calvo and Rotemberg pricing models

The observed 2% long run inflation target in most developed industrial nations is in variance with the zero or negative optimal inflation rates predicted by prominent monetary theories. Using a calibrated simple New-Keynesian model with endogenous growth and nominal rigidity, we compare two price setting environments of Calvo (1983) and Rotemberg (1982). In our growth model, the steady state welfare maximizing inflation takes into account the growth effect as well as the price distortionary effects of inflation. The long-run welfare maximizing trend inflation could be positive in economies with nominal rigidity in the form of partial inflation indexation and price stickiness. A higher degree of inflation indexation lowers the steady state price distortion in the Calvo model and steady state price adjustment cost in Rotemberg model and raises the long run optimal inflation. Since the productive inefficiency caused by partial inflation indexation is higher in Calvo economy compared to Rotemberg, the long run optimal trend inflation is higher in Rotemberg than in Calvo. In both models, a two percent long run inflation target is attainable for a reasonable degree of inflation indexation.

Can Public Spending Boost Private Consumption?

This paper analyses the effects on private consumption from an increase in productive and unproductive public spending. A new-Keynesian model incorporating price and wage rigidities, monetary policy and various fiscal rules is developed and estimated, using Bayesian techniques, to capture the key cyclical characteristics of the US economy. We find that price and wage rigidities along with a positive shock to the part of public spending that is productive are sufficient to boost private consumption. Moreover, we show that this initial positive reaction of private consumption is sufficient to create a positive present value consumption multiplier for more than five years. Finally, we show that our main results remain robust to changes in the monetary rule and the various methods of deficit financing.

Oil and Macroeconomic (In)Stability

We analyze the role of oil price volatility in reducing U.S. macroeconomic instability. Using a Markov Switching Rational Expectation New-Keynesian model we revisit the timing of the Great Moderation and the sources of changes in the volatility of macroeconomic variables. We find that smaller or fewer oil price shocks did not play a major role in explaining the Great Moderation. Instead oil price shocks are recurrent sources of economic fluctuations. The most important factor reducing overall variability is a decline in the volatility of structural macroeconomic shocks. A change to a more responsive (hawkish) monetary policy regime also played a role.

Global food prices and monetary policy in an emerging market economy: The case of India

This paper investigates a perception in the political debates as to what extent poor countries are affected by price movements in the global commodity markets. To test this perception, we use the case of India to establish in a standard SVAR model that global food prices influence aggregate prices and food prices in India. To further analyze these empirical results, we specify a small open economy New-Keynesian model including oil and food prices and estimate it using observed data over the period 1996Q2 to 2013Q2 by applying Bayesian estimation techniques. The results suggest that a big part of the variation in inflation in India is due to cost-push shocks and, mainly during the years 2008 and 2010, also to global food price shocks, after having controlled for exogenous rainfall shocks. We conclude that the inflationary supply shocks (cost-push, oil price, domestic food price and global food price shocks) are important contributors to inflation in India. Since the monetary authority responds to these supply shocks with a higher interest rate which tends to slow growth, this raises concerns about how such output losses can be prevented by reducing exposure to commodity price shocks.

Firm Turnover and Inflation Dynamics

This paper examines the role of firm turnover in explaining inflation dynamics. I augment a New-Keynesian DSGE model with endogenous entry and exogenous stochastic exit and estimate with the Bayesian full information approach for the US economy. Results show that shocks to the entry cost explain more than half of the inflation variance at the business cycle frequencies. When it is cheap to create firms, the number of new firms goes up and inflation increases as labour intensive creation of firms pushes up the demand for labour. Only gradually, when the number of firms is high and the number of new firms goes down again, does inflation fall, as stressed by the standard mechanism for an increasing number of firms

A small-scale DSGE-VAR model for the Romanian economy

This paper describes the theoretical structure and the estimation results for a DSGE-VAR model for the Romanian economy, an inflation targeting country since 2005. Having as benchmark the New-Keynesian model of Rabanal and Rubio-Ramirez (2005), the main additional feature introduced refers to the extension to a small open economy setting in order to account for this specific aspect of the Romanian economy.Within the inflation targeting monetary policy regime, forecasts of central macro variables, inflation in particular, play an important part. Because inflation reacts to monetary measures with a considerable lag, the central bank's policy has to be forward-looking. Based on univariate measures of forecast performance, it is shown that the VAR with DSGE model prior produces forecasts that improve on those obtained using an unrestricted VAR model and the popular Minnesota prior in case of inflation, real exchange rate and nominal interest rate. Moreover, the DSGE-VAR model is informative about the structure of the economy and can help the “story-telling” in the central banks.