Understanding Post-COVID Inflation Dynamics
Martin Harding, Jesper Lindé, Mathias Trabant
https://www.imf.org/-/media/Files/Publications/WP/2023/English/wpiea2023010-print-pdf.ashx
Summary:
We propose a macroeconomic model with a nonlinear Phillips curve that has a flat slope when inflationary pressures are subdued and steepens when inflationary pressures are elevated. The nonlinear Phillips curve in our model arises due to a quasi-kinked demand schedule for goods produced by firms. Our model can jointly account for the modest decline in inflation during the Great Recession and the surge in inflation during the Post-Covid period. Because our model implies a stronger transmission of shocks when inflation is high, it generates conditional heteroskedasticity in inflation and inflation risk. Hence, our model can generate more sizeable inflation surges due to cost-push and demand shocks than a standard linearized model. Finally, our model implies that the central bank faces a more severe trade-off between inflation and output stabilization when inflation is high.
IMF Working Paper No. 2023/010
ECB-(RE)BASE: Heterogeneity in expectation formation and macroeconomic dynamics
Stéphane Adjemian, Nikola Bokan, Matthieu Darracq Pariès, Georg Müller, Srečko Zimic
Abstract:
This paper introduces ECB-(RE)BASE as the model-consistent, or rational expectation version of the ECB-BASE model. It brings new analytical capabilities to consider varying degrees of heterogeneity in expectation formation across the agents of the model. While the original version of ECB-BASE features VAR-based expectations, we examine two alternative versions either with full model-consistent expectations or with hybrid expectations. The paper provides a didactic exposition of the changes in the model properties brought by the various expectation settings. Furthermore, we conduct illustrative scenarios around the macroeconomic shocks experienced over the recent years. The simulations notably suggest that moving from VAR-based to model-consistent expectations would limit the pandemic-induced macroeconomic volatility but would exacerbate the price pressures during the inflation surge period. Overall, this model development extends the range of possibilities for risk and policy analysis which can enhance the contribution of ECB-(RE)BASE to monetary policy preparation.