Four Mistakes in the Use of Measures of Expected Inflation

Working Paper: CEPR ID: DP17850

Authors: Ricardo Reis

Abstract: With the profusion of measures of expected inflation (from market prices and from surveys of households, firms, and professionals) it is a mistake to focus on a single one while ignoring the others. This paper discusses four common arguments for a single focus, and finds each of them to be lacking. In the process, it isolates characteristics of different measures that models that combine them should take into account.

Keywords: Phillips curve; monetary policy

JEL Codes: E31; E52; D84


Causal Claims Network Graph

Edges that are evidenced by causal inference methods are in orange, and the rest are in light blue.


Causal Claims

CauseEffect
Firms' expectations (D84)Inflation dynamics (E31)
Costs faced by firms (D21)Firms' expectations (D84)
Workers' expectations (J29)Costs faced by firms (D21)
Financial market expectations (G19)Costs faced by firms (D21)
Household expectations (D19)Inflation outcomes (E31)
Firms' expectations (D84)Costs faced by firms (D21)
Financial market expectations (G19)Inflation dynamics (E31)
Policymakers' focus on financial market expectations (G18)Overlooking household expectations (D13)

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