--%>
Assignment Help - homework help

Formally adopt inflation targeting

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 Business Economics

  • Q : Illustrates inverse relationship

    Illustrates the inverse relationship between price and quantity?

    		•
  • Q : Competition is the essential despot of

    Evaluate and explain the statements: “Competition is the essential despot of the market economy”.

    		•
  • Q : Business Strategies Cingular and Alltel

    Cingular and Alltel involve in aggressive and expensive advertising for cell-phones. A reason for this advertising may be: (1) attempts to increase market share. (2) predatorily drive other firms by the market. (3) to increase the use of cell phones.

    		•
  • Q : What will be produced in all economic

    What will be produced in all economic systems?

    		•
  • Q : Perfect competition leads the economic

    The perfectly competitive market structure benefits consumers since: w) firms do not generate goods at the lowest possible price within the long run. x) firms are forced through competitive pressure to be as efficient as possible. y) firms add a much

    		•
  • Q : Technology in production Drawing a

    Drawing a production possibilities frontier needs the supposition that: (1) Decision makers encompass discretion over resource accessibility. (2) Technology is constant. (3) Income is fairly distributed. (4) Resources are considerably diverse. (5) At least three goods

    		•
  • Q : Least probability of competitive market

    The competitive market system is least probable to be allocatively unproductive as a result of: (w) externalities and public goods. (x) cutthroat competition and the outsourcing of low-wage jobs to less grown countries. (y) the underproduction of a go

    		•
  • Q : High-convexity portfolios outperform

    An important drawback of "traditional yield spread analysis" is the "failure to take into account future interest rate volatility that would affect the expected cash flow" of a fixed income security. How does option adjusted spread analysis correct for the "failure" of traditional yield spread analy

    		•
  • Q : What do you mean by Shuffling the Deck

    What do you mean by Shuffling the Deck?

    		•
  • Q : Describe unexpected deflation Describe

    Describe unexpected deflation?

    		•