Optimal Monetary Policy

Aubhik Khan, Robert King () and Alexander Wolman

No 9402, NBER Working Papers from National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc

Abstract: Optimal monetary policy maximizes the welfare of a representative agent, given frictions in the economic environment. Constructing a model with two sets of frictions -- costly price adjustment by imperfectly competitive firms and costly exchange of wealth for goods -- we find optimal monetary policy is governed by two familiar principles. First, the average level of the nominal interest rate should be sufficiently low, as suggested by Milton Friedman, that there should be deflation on average. Yet, the Keynesian frictions imply that the optimal nominal interest rate is positive. Second, as various shocks occur to the real and monetary sectors, the price level should be largely stabilized, as suggested by Irving Fisher, albeit around a deflationary trend path. Since expected inflation is roughly constant through time, the nominal interest rate must therefore vary with the Fisherian determinants of the real interest rate. Although the monetary authority has substantial leverage over real activity in our model economy, it chooses real allocations that closely resemble those which would occur if prices were flexible. In our benchmark model, there is some tendency for the monetary authority to smooth nominal and real interest rates.

JEL-codes: E5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2002-12
Note: EFG
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (31)

Published as Aubhik Khan & Robert G. King & Alexander L. Wolman, 2003. "Optimal Monetary Policy," Review of Economic Studies, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 70(4), pages 825-860, October.

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Related works:
Journal Article: Optimal Monetary Policy (2003)
Working Paper: Optimal monetary policy (2002)
Working Paper: Optimal monetary policy (2001)
Working Paper: Optimal monetary policy (2000)
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