The Federal Reserve Board eagle logo links to Board's home page

International Finance Discussion Papers
The International Finance Discussion Papers logo links to the International Finance Discussion Papers home page Price-level Determinacy, Lower Bounds on the Nominal Interest Rate, and Liquidity Traps
Ragna Alstadheim; Dale W. Henderson
2004-795  (April 2004)

Abstract:  We consider monetary-policy rules with inflation-rate targets and interest-rate or money-growth instruments using a flexible-price, perfect-foresight model. There is always a locally-unique target equilibrium. There may also be below-target equilibria (BTE) with inflation always below target and constant, asymptotically approaching or eventually reaching a below-target value, or oscillating. Liquidity traps are neither necessary nor sufficient for BTE which can arise if monetary policy keeps the interest rate above a lower bound. We construct monetary rules that preclude BTE when fiscal policy does not. Plausible fiscal policies preclude BTE for any monetary policy; those policies exclude surpluses and, possibly, balanced budgets.

Full paper (466 KB PDF) | Full paper (screen reader version)

Keywords
price-level indeterminacy, multiple equilibria, zero bound, monetary policy, monetary rule, fiscal policy, money demand

PDF files: Adobe Acrobat Reader   ZIP files: PKWARE


Home | IFDPs | List of 2004 IFDPs
Accessibility | Contact Us
Last update: October 24, 2006