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A defense of moderation in monetary policy

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  • Williams, John C.
Abstract
This paper examines the implications of uncertainty about the effects of monetary policy for optimal monetary policy with an application to the current situation. Using a stylized macroeconomic model, I derive optimal policies under uncertainty for both conventional and unconventional monetary policies. According to an estimated version of this model, the US economy is currently suffering from a large and persistent adverse demand shock. Optimal monetary policy absent uncertainty would quickly restore real GDP close to its potential level and allow the inflation rate to rise temporarily above the longer-run target. By contrast, the optimal policy under uncertainty is more muted in its response. As a result, output and inflation return to target levels only gradually. This analysis highlights three important insights for monetary policy under uncertainty. First, even in the presence of considerable uncertainty about the effects of monetary policy, the optimal policy nevertheless responds strongly to shocks: uncertainty does not imply inaction. Second, one cannot simply look at point forecasts and judge whether policy is optimal. Indeed, once one recognizes uncertainty, some moderation in monetary policy may well be optimal. Third, in the context of multiple policy instruments, the optimal strategy is to rely on the instrument associated with the least uncertainty and use alternative, more uncertain instruments only when the least uncertain instrument is employed to its fullest extent possible.

Suggested Citation

  • Williams, John C., 2013. "A defense of moderation in monetary policy," Journal of Macroeconomics, Elsevier, vol. 38(PB), pages 137-150.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jmacro:v:38:y:2013:i:pb:p:137-150
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jmacro.2013.07.010
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    Cited by:

    1. John C. Williams, 2015. "Macroprudential policy in a microprudential world," FRBSF Economic Letter, Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco.
    2. Dutkowsky, Donald H. & VanHoose, David D., 2020. "Equal treatment under the Fed: Interest on reserves, the federal funds rate, and the ‘Third Regime’ of bank behavior," Journal of Economics and Business, Elsevier, vol. 107(C).
    3. Bailey, Andrew & Bridges, Jonathan & Harrison, Richard & Jones, Josh & Mankodi, Aakash, 2020. "The central bank balance sheet as a policy tool: past, present and future," Bank of England working papers 899, Bank of England.
    4. Narayana Kocherlakota, 2016. "Rules versus Discretion: A Reconsideration," Brookings Papers on Economic Activity, Economic Studies Program, The Brookings Institution, vol. 47(2 (Fall)), pages 1-55.
    5. Michelle L. Barnes, 2014. "Let's talk about it: what policy tools should the Fed \\"normally\\" use?," Current Policy Perspectives 14-12, Federal Reserve Bank of Boston.
    6. Naoto Soma, 2021. "Parameter Uncertainty and Effective Lower Bound Risk," IMES Discussion Paper Series 21-E-11, Institute for Monetary and Economic Studies, Bank of Japan.
    7. Francois Gourio & Jonas Fisher, 2015. "Risk Management for Monetary Policy at the Zero Lower Bound," 2015 Meeting Papers 665, Society for Economic Dynamics.
    8. Clavero, Borja, 2017. "A contribution to the Quantity Theory of Disaggregated Credit," MPRA Paper 76657, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    9. Stefania D'Amico & Corey Feldman, 2024. "Balance Sheet Policy Uncertainty and Its Aggregate Implications," Working Paper Series WP 2024-14, Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago.
    10. Górajski, Mariusz & Kuchta, Zbigniew, 2023. "Coordination and non-coordination risks of monetary and macroprudential authorities: A robust welfare analysis," The North American Journal of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 67(C).
    11. Stanley Fischer, 2016. "Monetary Policy, Financial Stability, and the Zero Lower Bound : a speech at the Annual Meeting of the American Economic Association, San Francisco, California, January 3, 2016," Speech 886, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (U.S.).
    12. Arvind Krishnamurthy & Annette Vissing-Jorgensen, 2013. "The ins and outs of LSAPs," Proceedings - Economic Policy Symposium - Jackson Hole, Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City.
    13. Chuliá, Helena & Guillén, Montserrat & Uribe, Jorge M., 2017. "Measuring uncertainty in the stock market," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 48(C), pages 18-33.
    14. Benjamín García & Arsenios Skaperdas, 2024. "Central Bank Independence at Low Interest Rates," Working Papers Central Bank of Chile 1003, Central Bank of Chile.
    15. Stephane Dupraz & Sophie Guilloux-Nefussi & Adrian Penalver, 2023. "A Pitfall of Cautiousness in Monetary Policy∗," International Journal of Central Banking, International Journal of Central Banking, vol. 19(3), pages 269-323, August.
    16. Mark A. Carlson & Stefania D'Amico & Cristina Fuentes-Albero & Bernd Schlusche & Paul R. Wood, 2020. "Issues in the Use of the Balance Sheet Tool," Finance and Economics Discussion Series 2020-071, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (U.S.).
    17. Dutkowsky, Donald H. & VanHoose, David D., 2018. "Breaking up isn’t hard to do: Interest on reserves and monetary policy," Journal of Economics and Business, Elsevier, vol. 99(C), pages 15-27.
    18. Matteo Cacciatore & Dmitry Matveev & Rodrigo Sekkel, 2022. "Uncertainty and Monetary Policy Experimentation: Empirical Challenges and Insights from Academic Literature," Discussion Papers 2022-9, Bank of Canada.
    19. Narayana Kocherlakota, 2016. "Rules versus Discretion: A Reconsideration," Brookings Papers on Economic Activity, Economic Studies Program, The Brookings Institution, vol. 47(2 (Fall)), pages 1-55.
    20. Górajski, Mariusz & Kuchta, Zbigniew & Leszczyńska-Paczesna, Agnieszka, 2023. "Price-setting heterogeneity and robust monetary policy in a two-sector DSGE model of a small open economy," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 122(C).
    21. Harrison, Richard, 2024. "Optimal quantitative easing and tightening," Bank of England working papers 1063, Bank of England.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Optimal monetary policy; Uncertainty; Bayesian decision making; Unconventional monetary policy;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • E52 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Monetary Policy, Central Banking, and the Supply of Money and Credit - - - Monetary Policy

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