Targeting Inflation by Constant-Interest-Rate Forecasts.

This paper reviews the concept of constant-interest-rate inflation forecast (CIR) targeting. It stresses the time-inconsistent nature of CIR targeting and provides a new method for constructing CIR forecasts consistently in the context of models with forward-looking variables. A dynamic New Keynesian model with forward-looking price setting is used as an illustration, suggesting that the main reason for choosing a relatively long forecast targeting horizon lies in the monetary authorities' objective to smooth interest rate movements, as greater nominal and real stabilization is achieved at a relatively short inflation forecast targeting horizon.