Discussion paper

DP491 Channels of International Policy Transmission

A two-country, intertemporal, perfect-foresight model with micro foundations, floating exchange rates, uncovered interest parity, and nominal wage rigidities is formulated. The benchmark case corresponds to unit elasticities of intertemporal and intratemporal substitution in consumption, no initial holdings of foreign assets and infinite lifetimes. Monetary disinflation and an increase in government spending then have no spillover effects on foreign consumption and employment and there are no current account dynamics. Four channels of international policy transmission are then analysed. The first is based on capital gains on holdings of foreign assets. The spillover effects arising through the second and third channel depend on whether goods are gross substitutes or gross complements and on whether the elasticity of intertemporal substitution is less or greater than unity. The final channel assumes finite lifetimes and no bequest motive. It departs from debt neutrality in order to allow wealth effects and current account dynamics to play a more interesting role and to assess the difference between tax and debt finance.

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Citation

Van Der Ploeg, F (1991), ‘DP491 Channels of International Policy Transmission‘, CEPR Discussion Paper No. 491. CEPR Press, Paris & London. https://cepr.org/publications/dp491