Policymakers often use the output gap, a noisy signal of economic activity, as a guide for setting monetary policy. Noise in the data argues for policy caution. At the same time, the zero bound on nominal interest rates constrains the central bank's ability to stimulate the economy during...

This paper studies the design, effects and interactions of monetary and fiscal policies in the euro area. A stylized New Keynesian model with backward and forward looking dynamics is developed and augmented with monetary and fiscal policy rules. Numerical simulations are used to assess the...