Nominal GDP Targeting and the Zero Lower Bound: Should We Abandon Inflation Targeting?

Roberto Billi

No 270, Working Paper Series from Sveriges Riksbank (Central Bank of Sweden)

Abstract: I compare nominal GDP level targeting to flexible inflation targeting in a small New Keynesian model subject to the zero lower bound on nominal policy rates. First, I study the performance of optimal discretionary policies. I find that, for a standard calibration, inflation targeting under discretion leaves the economy open to a deflationary trap. Nominal GDP level targeting under discretion, by contrast, provides a firm nominal anchor to the economy. Second, I study simple policy rules and the role of smoothing in the rules. With smoothing, a Taylor-type rule performs as well as a nominal GDP level rule. These result suggest that inflation targeting should not be ditched. Still, it can be improved significantly, by using policy rate smoothing to anchor inflation firmly.

Keywords: nominal GDP target; optimal policy; simple rules; zero lower bound (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: E31 E52 E58 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 35 pages
Date: 2013-06-01
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-mac and nep-mon
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (21)

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Related works:
Journal Article: A NOTE ON NOMINAL GDP TARGETING AND THE ZERO LOWER BOUND (2017)
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