--%>
Assignment Help - homework help

Would inflation targeting be a good policy

Question:

Why might it be difficult for the Fed to formally adopt inflation targeting?  Would inflation targeting be a good policy for the Fed in the present economic environment?

Answer:

The most important part of the inflation targeting debate is about the optimal level of inflation. While many people believe that it should be in the range of 2%, it is difficult to ascertain the actual optimal level. Again, if the rate is fixed to 2%, then the Fed will have limited scope for a cut back in the interest rates, which might be required periodically to boost investment. Another case in point is that empirical evidence has suggested that US has experienced lowest level of unemployment when the inflation rate was in the range of 3-5%. Another problem is that the inflation targeting itself might not be efficient, asset price and hence the asset market control will also become important if the goals of inflation targeting are to be realized. In the present economic scenario, when the economy needs stimulus, and investment levels are quite low with high level of unemployment, inflation targeting does not seem to be a good policy measure. There is a need for an increase in the aggregate demand, which if materializes, will lead to an increase in inflation. And if inflation targeting is in place, the interest rates will have to be hiked, which will hamper recovery.

 

   Related Questions in Macroeconomics

  • Q : Formula for Fiscal deficit Fiscal

    Fiscal deficit: Fiscal deficit is stated as the surplus of total expenditure over total receipts, apart from borrowings. Fiscal deficit = Total expenditure (Rev. Exp. + Cap. Exp.) – Total Receipts

  • Q : Receipts from taxes Why are receipts

    Why are receipts from taxes classified as revenue receipts? Answer: Receipts from taxes are classified as revenue receipts since they do not build liabilities nor r

    		•
  • Q : Define involuntary unemployment

    Involuntary unemployment: Involuntary unemployment terms to a condition in which people that are willing to work are unable to obtain work.

    		•
  • Q : Problem on Imperfect information

    Imperfect information at times causes consumer’s attempts to maximize their contentment to fail since: (i) Prospects are imperfectly realized, and trial-and-error prototypes can lead to mistakes. (ii) Sellers might exploit asymmetric information

    		•
  • Q : From where Washington bureaucrats

    Can someone please help me in finding out the accurate answer from the following question. Typical Washington bureaucrats derive the maximum consumer surplus from: (1) Publicity in the Senate hearings. (2) Consuming the water. (3) Writing complex regulation. (4) Eatin

    		•
  • Q : National disposable income What must be

    What must be added to NNPMP to obtain net national disposable income? Answer: The Net current transfers from abroad must be added to NNPMP to get national disposabl

    		•
  • Q : Potential GDP The hypothetical

    The hypothetical information in the following table shows what the economic situation will be in 2015 if the Fed does not use monetary policy: Year Potential GDP Real GDP Price Level 2014 $15.2 trillion $15.2 trillion 110.0 2015 $15.6 trillion $15.8 trillion

    		•
  • Q : Decisions at the Margin The least

    The least apparent illustration of how decisions are generally ‘at the margin’ would be: (i) Purchasing an additional novel after learning that all paper-backs at Borders are on sale for 25 percent off. (ii) Tossing a 6-year old cousin to the deep end of t

    		•
  • Q : What is multiplier Multiplier : The

    Multiplier: The Multiplier is the ratio of change in income by the change in investment. Multiplier (k) = ΔY/ΔI

    		•
  • Q : Domestic Investment & Economies

    Question: How will a fall in domestic investment affect the trade surplus and net capital outflows in the domestic economy, the trade deficit and capital inflows in the rest of the world, investment in both economi

    		•