Exits from Recessions: The U.S. Experience 1920-2007

Michael Bordo and John Landon-Lane ()

No 15731, NBER Working Papers from National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc

Abstract: In this paper we provide some evidence on when central banks have shifted from expansionary to contractionary monetary policy after a recession has ended--the exit strategy. We examine the relationship between the timing of changes in several instruments of monetary policy and the timing of changes of selected real macro aggregates and price level (inflation) variables across U.S. business cycles from 1920-2007. We find, based on historical narratives, descriptive evidence and econometric analysis, that in the 1920s and the 1950s the Fed would generally tighten when the price level turned up. By contrast, since 1960 the Fed has generally tightened when unemployment peaked and this tightening often occurred after inflation began to rise. The Fed is often too late to prevent inflation.

JEL-codes: N12 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2010-02
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-cba, nep-his, nep-mac and nep-mon
Note: DAE
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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