It is tempting to interpret empirical evidence in a number of recent studies as suggesting that term structure spreads help predict future inflation over moderate horizons of 3 to 5 years. This paper argues that common measures of the predictive power of the term structure spread for future...

This paper examines the relationships between output, prices, interest rates, and M2 using data sets which were available in real time from 1973:1 to 1997:4. The purpose is threefold. First, the paper delineates a potential role for M2 in policymaking. Second, it provides a more accurate basis...

Monetary policy evaluation using structural macro models suggests that historical monetary policy responds less aggressively to inflation and the output gap than would an optimal policy rule. However, these results are obtained using models with constant term premia. This paper shows how term...

This paper examines the responses of prices at different stages of production to an explicitly identified demand shock: a monetary policy shock. The frameworks of Christiano, Eichenbaum, and Evans (1994, 1996) and Sims and Zha (1995b) are used to identify the policy shock as the innovation to...

Should central banks respond to asset price bubbles? This paper explores this monetary policy question in a hypothetical economy subject to asset price bubbles. Despite the highly stylized structure of the model, the results reveal several practical monetary policy lessons. First, a monetary...

Replaces Working paper 91-24.