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Title: Long-Term Debt Pricing and Monetary Policy Transmission under Imperfect Knowledge

Author(s): Stefano Eusepi, Marc Giannoni and Bruce Preston

Publication Date: February 2012

Keyword(s): Expectations Hypothesis of the Yield Curve, Expectations Stabilization, Long Debt, Optimal Monetary Policy and Transmission of Monetary Policy

Programme Area(s): International Macroeconomics

Abstract: Under rational expectations monetary policy is generally highly effective in stabilizing the economy. Aggregate demand management operates through the expectations hypothesis of the term structure --- anticipated movements in future short-term interest rates control current demand. This paper explores the effects of monetary policy under imperfect knowledge and incomplete markets. In this environment the expectations hypothesis of the yield curve need not hold, a situation called unanchored financial market expectations. Whether or not financial market expectations are anchored, private sector imperfect knowledge mitigates the efficacy of optimal monetary policy. Under anchored expectations, slow adjustment of interest-rate beliefs limits scope to adjust current interest-rate policy in response to evolving macroeconomic conditions. Imperfect knowledge represents an additional distortion confronting policy, leading to greater inflation and output volatility relative to rational expectations. Under unanchored expectations, current interest-rate policy is divorced from interest-rate expectations. This permits aggressive adjustment in current interest-rate policy to stabilize inflation and output. However, unanchored expectations are shown to raise significantly the probability of encountering the zero lower bound constraint on nominal interest rates. This constraint is more severe the longer is the average maturity structure of the public debt.

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Bibliographic Reference

Eusepi, S, Giannoni, M and Preston, B. 2012. 'Long-Term Debt Pricing and Monetary Policy Transmission under Imperfect Knowledge'. London, Centre for Economic Policy Research. https://cepr.org/active/publications/discussion_papers/dp.php?dpno=8845