[...]In the case studies that follow, we will see that thedesign choices for an inflation-targeting regime fall intofour basic categories: definition and measurement of thetarget, transparency, flexibility, and timing.[...]

Many features of the German monetary targetingregime are also key elements of inflationtargeting in the other countries examined inthis study. Indeed, as pointed out in Bernanke and Mishkin(1997), Germany might best be thought of as a “hybrid”inflation targeter, in that it has more in common...

[...]Inflation targeting in New Zealand followed legislationthat mandated a Policy Targets Agreement (PTA)between the elected government and the newlyindependent central bank, which resulted in a jointlydecided numerical target for inflation.[...]

[...]Inflation targeting in Canada was not the result oflegislation. However, as in New Zealand, the inflationtarget in Canada is jointly determined and announcedby both the government and the central bank.[...]

[...]Like the other countries examined, the United Kingdomadopted inflation targets after a successful disinflation.Unlike these countries, however, the UnitedKingdom took this step in the aftermath of a foreignexchange rate crisis in order to restore a nominalanchor and to lock in past...

[...]This exercise is meant to give a quantitativeimpression of whether the interaction between inflationand short-term interest rates exhibits a pattern of behaviorafter the adoption of the inflation target that differsmarkedly from the pattern before.2 The unconditional forecastof each...

Our case studies indicate that both the adoption ofinflation targets and the design choices for thatframework have made a difference in the operationof monetary policy. The design choices of the targetingcountries have tended to converge over time withregard to the operational design questions...

[...]In this article, we assess the evidence in support of a bubblein U.S. home prices and discuss whether a severe decline inthese prices is likely. We also examine the effects of a steep dropin home prices on the broader national economy. Examining the possible effects of a severe decline in...

[...]In this article, we model the relationship between goodsinflation and services inflation from 1967:2 to 2002:4. To helpinform the inflation debate, we then use our results to forecastinflation for 2003. The specific inflation series that we model isthe quarterly change (at an annual rate)...

[...]This article examines the origins and early development ofthe Federal Reserve’s book-entry system—the system mostclosely associated with the elimination of definitive, orcertificated, Treasury securities. We suggest that the Fed’ssystem was the product of three important factors: the...