Some Macroeconomic and Monetary Policy Implications of New Micro Evidence on Wage Dynamics

This paper investigates the macroeconomic relevance of new findings regarding nominal wage stickiness, wage indexation, wage staggering and synchronisation, and downward nominal and real wage rigidity in the euro area. Quantifying the relevance of this evidence for monetary policy remains to be fully resolved, but our results suggest that countries with lower indexation and higher wage stickiness for newly hired workers experience higher employment volatility and lower inflation volatility, and that wage staggering and synchronisation of wage changes in particular months result in less persistence in real wages and inflation. (JEL: E24, E52) (c) 2010 by the European Economic Association.