scholarly journals SAY NO TO INFLATION TARGETING: A CALL FOR THE ADAPTATION OF A ZERO-INTEREST REGIME

Author(s):  
Atiq Ur Rehman

In its early history, monetary policy focused on numerous objectives, including stable growth, full employment, stable exchange rates and price stability. In the 1990s, many countries shifted their monetary policy framework from monetary aggregate/interest rate targeting to inflation targeting, in which inflation was regarded as the primary target of monetary policy, and interest rates the primary tool for achieving target inflation. Inflation targeting has diverted the focus of central banks from growth and employment to price stability. Unfortunately, there is considerable evidence which shows that inflation targeting frameworks are unable to control inflation in the way central banks want, and in fact lead to a greater departure from optimal growth and employment, the two key targets of sustainable development goals (SDGs). There is also evidence suggesting a strong association between inflation targeting and the move away from several other SDGs. Employing a systematic review of the related literature and Granger causality tests applied to data from various countries, this paper shows that inflation targeting fails to control inflation and has several undesirable impacts on a wide range of socioeconomic indicators. It is argued that the zero-interest regime is the optimal regime with respect to the impact on socioeconomic indicators, and also supports the interest free economy advocated by Islam.

2019 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 51
Author(s):  
Bernard Balla

Macroeconomic policies aim to stabilize the economy by achieving their goal of price stability, full employment and economic growth. Price stability is the responsibility of macroeconomic policies that are developed to maintain a low inflation rate, contribute to the solidity of the domestic product and maintain an exchange rate that can be predictable. The purpose of this paper is to analyze Albania's monetary policy by highlighting the main indicators that can be used as a measurement of the efficiency of this policy in the economic development. The literature review shows that there are many attitudes regarding the factors that need to be taken into consideration when analyzing monetary policies, including the elements of fiscal policies. In the Albanian economy, the prices and the level of inflation are the most important aspects. The Bank of Albania uses the inflation targeting regime, considering that the main indicator of inflationary pressures in the economy is the deviation of inflation forecasted in the medium term by its target level. In numerical terms, the bank intends to maintain its annual growth in consumer prices at the level of 3%. According to the latest reports published by the Bank of Albania in 2019, monetary policy continues to contribute positively to a financial environment with a low interest rate and an annual inflation rate of 2%. Although the inflation rate hit the lowest value of 1.8 % in 2018, a balanced rate was achieved through the reduction of interest rates and risk premiums in financial markets and, more recently, through the tightening of the exchange rate. These monetary conditions are appropriate to support the growth of domestic demand and the strengthening of inflationary pressures.


2015 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 141-152
Author(s):  
Richard Pospíšil

Abstract The issue of money and establishing interest rates are the main activities of central banks. Th rough this, the banks immediately influence the behaviour of households, companies, financial markets and the state with the impact on real outcome, employment and prices. When monitoring the issue of money, it is necessary to focus not only on its volume, but also on the attributes and functions carried by money. Among the first economists who considered the quality monetary aspect were J. Locke, D. Hume, D. Ricardo and others. The founders of modern monetarism of the 20th century were I. Fisher and M. Friedman. Fisher was the first to define the equation of monetary equilibrium in the present-day form. The objective of the paper is to point out different approaches to the equation and its modifications and different meanings of its variables. As regards the monetary aggregate M - Money - the paper also deals with the denomination of the aggregate to its various elements, which is significant for fulfilling monetary policy targets. This approach is very important especially at present in the time of crisis when central banks are performing their policy considering contradictory targets of price stability and economic growth.


2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (35) ◽  
Author(s):  
Luis Brandao-Marques ◽  
R. Gelos ◽  
Thomas Harjes ◽  
Ratna Sahay ◽  
Yi Xue

Central banks in emerging and developing economies (EMDEs) have been modernizing their monetary policy frameworks, often moving toward inflation targeting (IT). However, questions regarding the strength of monetary policy transmission from interest rates to inflation and output have often stalled progress. We conduct a novel empirical analysis using Jordà’s (2005) approach for 40 EMDEs to shed a light on monetary transmission in these countries. We find that interest rate hikes reduce output growth and inflation, once we explicitly account for the behavior of the exchange rate. Having a modern monetary policy framework—adopting IT and independent and transparent central banks—matters more for monetary transmission than financial development.


2016 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 123
Author(s):  
Ergys Misha

The Taylor’s Rule Central Banks is applying widely today from Central Banks for design the monetary policy and for determination of interest rates. The purpose of this paper is to assess monetary policy rule in Albania, in view of an inflation targeting regime. In the first version of the Model, the Taylor’s Rule assumes that base interest rate of the monetary policy varies depending on the change of (1) the inflation rate and (2) economic growth (Output Gap).Through this paper it is proposed changing the objective of the Bank of Albania by adding a new objective, that of "financial stability", along with the “price stability”. This means that it is necessary to reassess the Taylor’s Rule by modifying it with incorporation of indicators of financial stability. In the case of Albania, we consider that there is no regular market of financial assets in the absence of the Stock Exchange. For this reason, we will rely on the credit developmet - as a way to measure the financial cycle in the economy. In this case, the base rate of monetary policy will be changed throught: (1) Targeting Inflation Rate, (2) Nominal Targeting of Economic Growth, and (3) Targeting the Gap of the Ratio Credit/GDP (mitigating the boom cycle, if the gap is positive, and the contractiocycle if the gap is negative).The research data show that, it is necessary that the Bank of Albania should also include in its objective maintaining the financial stability. In this way, the contribution expected from the inclusion of credit gap indicators in Taylor’s Rule, will be higher and sustainable in time.


2017 ◽  
Vol 241 ◽  
pp. R5-R12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter Sinclair ◽  
William A. Allen

The paper looks at the ‘new normal’ in so many of the world's central banks, and specifically the UK. It examines the position of the monetary policy framework, instrument settings, the underlying models, unconventional policy measures, real interest rates, and the interface with macroprudential policy. It explores both the advantages and challenges involved in any move to return towards pre-crisis arrangements, and offers suggestions for possible ways in which current policy dilemmas might be resolved.


2000 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jiří Jonáš

In December 1997 the Czech National Bank introduced a new framework for the conduct of monetary policy, inflation targeting. This article examines the preliminary experience with inflation targeting in the Czech Republic. In the second part, we discuss the reasons that have led the Czech National Bank to introduce this monetary policy framework. Third part describes principal operational features of inflation targeting in the Czech Republic, and discusses the specifics of inflation targeting under the conditions of an economy in transition. Fourth part reviews the conduct of monetary policy under the new regime, focusing particularly on how the new policy framework has affected central bank's decisions about interest rates. Fifth part discusses some reasons why implementation of inflation targeting during the first two years was difficult, and sixth part evaluates the experience with inflation targeting and provides some suggestions for improving the framework.


2011 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 229-246
Author(s):  
Jannie Rossouw ◽  
Vishnu Padayachee

As inflation credibility in South Africa records low readings when measured in terms of inflation credibility barometers, this note aims at assessing whether actual price movements provide any grounds for low inflation credibility.  It compares the price movements of similar items with the rate of inflation over a period of 32 years, i.e. from 1974 to 2006, and discusses the use of an inflation accuracy indicator to compare estimated price levels adjusted by the rate of inflation and actual price levels.  Over the period of comparison no systematic over- or underreporting of changes in prices in terms of the rate of inflation could be detected and the analysis suggests that little or no basis can be found to justify low inflation credibility.  Inflation credibility is more likely than not influenced by the most recent purchasing experiences of consumers.  Doubts concerning the accuracy of inflation figures could nevertheless result in the general public concluding that monetary policy aiming at the achievement of an inflation target brings only the pain of high interest rates without the tangible benefits of lower inflation, thereby jeopardising the usefulness of an inflation-targeting monetary policy framework.


2020 ◽  
pp. 127-133
Author(s):  
A. V. Berdyshev ◽  
N. S. Bobyr

The features of the economic development of the Czech Republic after the global financial crisis, the role of the Czech National Bank in the formation of macroeconomic policies, as well as the peculiarities of monetary regulation in the study period have been defined in the article. The main goal of the paper is to assess the impact of interest rates used by the Czech National Bank in the process of monetary regulation on the dynamics of the main macroeconomic indicators, which is considered as one of the necessary conditions for the effectiveness of the inflation targeting regime. By the results of the correlation analysis and Fisher’s exact test, it has been determined that the Czech National Bank could affect the main macroeconomic indicators based on the percentage of monetary policy instruments used.


2020 ◽  
Vol 2020 (101) ◽  
pp. 1-36
Author(s):  
Isabel Cairó ◽  
◽  
Jae Sim ◽  

The 2008 Global Financial Crisis called into question the narrow focus on price stability of inflation targeting regimes. This paper studies the relationship between price stability and financial stability by analyzing alternative monetary policy regimes for an economy that experiences endogenous financial crises due to excessive household sector leverage. We reach four conclusions. First, a central bank can improve both price stability and financial stability by adopting an aggressive inflation targeting regime, in the absence of the zero lower bound (ZLB) constraint on nominal interest rates. Second, in the presence of the ZLB constraint, an aggressive inflation targeting regime may undermine both price stability and financial stability. Third, an aggressive price-level targeting regime can improve both price stability and financial stability, regardless of the presence of the ZLB constraint. Finally, a leaning against the wind policy can be detrimental to both price stability and financial stability when the credit cycle is driven by countercyclical household sector leverage. In this environment, leaning with credit spreads can be more effective.


Author(s):  
Martin Brownbridge ◽  
Louis Kasekende

The Bank of Uganda introduced an inflation targeting (IT) monetary policy framework in 2011, replacing a decades-old money targeting framework. This chapter reviews Uganda’s experience and concludes that an IT framework is feasible for Uganda, despite shallow financial markets, volatile exchange rates, supply price shocks which make inflation more volatile and difficult to forecast, and lack of data. Key prerequisites were the operational independence of the central bank and the primacy of the core inflation objective for monetary policy. The successful adoption of IT in Uganda depended on the adoption of a set of basic principles, including: the primacy of the inflation forecast in setting policy; the separation of monetary from fiscal operations; the adoption of a short-term interest rate as the sole operating target, rather than e.g. a mix of interest rates and monetary aggregates; and an emphasis on clear communications.


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