Working Paper: CEPR ID: DP5749
Authors: Tore Ellingsen; Richard Friberg; John Hassler
Abstract: We study optimal price setting by a monopolist in an infinite horizon model with stochastic costs, moderate inflation, and costly price adjustment. For realistic parameters, chosen to replicate observed frequencies of price changes, the model fits numerically several empirical regularities. In particular, price reductions are larger but less frequent than price increases, and prices respond considerably faster to cost increases than to cost decreases. The associated kink in the steady state short-run Phillips curve implies that the output loss associated with a small negative inflation surprise is about twice as large as the output gain associated with a small positive inflation surprise.
Keywords: Asymmetric price adjustment; Downward rigidity; Menu costs; Phillips curve
JEL Codes: D42; E31; E32
Edges that are evidenced by causal inference methods are in orange, and the rest are in light blue.
| Cause | Effect |
|---|---|
| cost shocks (D24) | price adjustments (L11) |
| cost increases (L11) | price increases (E30) |
| cost decreases (D61) | price decreases (D41) |
| negative inflation surprise (E31) | output loss (C67) |
| positive inflation surprise (E31) | output gain (C67) |