Inflation targeting
IMF paper on benefits of inflation targeting
The IMF Working Paper 'Testing the transparency benefits of inflation targeting: Evidence from private sector forecasts' tests whether inflation targeting (IT) enhances transparency using inflation forecast data for 11 IT adoption countries.
Inflation targeting fails in first yr in Turkey
According to this article published by the Turkish Daily News on Saturday 6 January, Turkey's long-awaited "inflation targeting" has failed in its first year, and there is a big chance it will be unsuccessful in 2007.
IMF paper on implementing inflation targeting
The International Monetary Fund Working Paper "Implementing inflation targeting: Institutional arrangements, target design, and communications" focuses on three elements of inflation targeting most closely associated with transparency.
Brazil cuts rates by half a point
The Central Bank of Brazil lowered its benchmark lending rate by 50 basis points to 13.25 on Wednesday in the face of falling growth.
UK's Lomax: rate hike was inflation 'insurance'
Rachel Lomax, a deputy governor at the Bank of England suggested that successive interest rate hikes by the Bank this year were akin to "buying insurance" against possible inflation spikes.
Room for improvement in Riksbank's monetary policy
A parliamentary report into Sweden's monetary policy says that while the Riksbank compares favourably with other central banks in terms of monetary policy, the persistent undershooting of its inflation target in recent years means there is room for…
Canada to research inflation target
Although the Bank of Canada's inflation target will remain at 2% for the next five years, the central bank has announced a major research project on the benefits of lowering the target.
Bank of Israel cuts rates again
The Bank of Israel lowered its benchmark lending rate by 25 basis points on 27 November. This second reduction in two months takes rates to 5%.
Mexico holds rates despite inflation spike
On 24 November, the Bank of Mexico held its benchmark lending rate at 7%, as expected, for a seventh straight month. The central bank also indicated that the recent increase in inflation would be temporary.
Euro entry unpredictable - Hungarian CB chief
The National Bank of Hungary believes it is no longer possible to say when the country will be ready to join the euro.
New Thai governor on IT
In a speech called "Inflation targeting - a reflection on Thailand's experience," the newly-appointed governor of the Bank of Thailand, Tarisa Watanagase, cautioned that the framework should not be seen as a panacea.
Unplanned system trumps Bretton Woods - paper
According to this new NBER working paper by Andrew Rose, the current international monetary system of independent central banks targeting domestic inflation is more stable than the post-war Bretton Woods system of fixed exchange rates.
Bernanke seen as unlikely to push inflation target
This article from the Finanical Times, published Wednesday 15 November, says that fallout from the Democrats recent victories could include a slow down in Ben Bernanke's drive to lead the Federal Reserve towards adopting a numerical inflation target.
Democrats may oppose Bernanke's inflation target
According to this article published Thursday 9 November by Bloomberg, it may become harder for Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke to establish an inflation target now that Democrats have control of the U.S. Congress.
Transmission mechanisms of monetary policy-Armenia
The IMF Working Paper "Transmission mechanisms of monetary policy in Armenia: Evidence from VAR analysis" examines monetary policy transmission in Armenia in light of the authorities' intention to shift to an inflation-targeting regime over the medium…
Nobel winner Phelps sees Fed transparency risk
Edmund Phelps, awarded the Nobel Prize for economics last week, told Bloomberg in an interview published Wednesday 18 October that Federal Reserve policy makers must make sure that they are no so open with the public that their ability to make decisions…
A case for inflation targets in the US and Japan
This article published by the American Enterprise Institute on Wednesday 27 September says that the world's leading central banks are struggling with what is happening to prices in their respective countries, and what they should do and say about it.
SARB rejects IMF inflation-target suggestion
The government and the South African Reserve Bank have asked the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to stop making policy suggestions that sound prescriptive, South African Reserve Bank Governor Tito Mboweni said on Friday 22 September.
Fed Reserve Bank of St Louis Review, Sep/Oct 2006
The latest edition of the St Louis Fed's Review for Sep/Oct 2006 includes the article 'Do Inflation Targeters Outperform Non-targeters?' The article says ten years of empirical studies of inflation targeting have not uncovered clear evidence that…
Norges Bank paper on inflation targeting
The Norges Bank Working Paper "Flexible inflation targeting and financial stability: Is it enough to stabilise inflation and output?" investigates empirically whether a central bank can promote financial stability by stabilising inflation and output.
Korea changes inflation target measure
Korea will target a new measure of inflation for 2007-2009, the central bank has said.
Time for a monetary policy rethink
A succession of asset bubbles show the folly of too strict a focus on inflation. Central bankers should be more flexible, says Stephen Roach
San Francisco Fed's Economic Letter
The Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco's Economic Letter "Would an inflation target help anchor U.S. inflation expectations?" published Friday 11 August says countries with explicit inflation targets have done a better job at anchoring inflation…
Mishkin sees benefits in inflation target range
According to this article by Reuters, published Wednesday 2 August, a new study by incoming Federal Reserve governor Frederic Mishkin says inflation target ranges can help central banks sidestep political pressure to let prices rise and achieve low…