This paper presents a study of U.K. earnings over the period 1967-87 aimed at establishing whether wagesetters anticipate future movements in prices. Two models are proposed: the first where agents form rational predictions about future price movements and the second where they use simple...

In this paper we analyse counter-cyclical fiscal policy within the context of a microfounded analysis of business-cycle stabilization. We show that tax and spending instruments can have a useful counter-cyclical role, even after allowing for the distortionary nature of the instruments and the...

The use of discretionary fiscal policy as a counter-cyclical tool has declined in popularity over the last 30 years. This paper examines the extent to which this decline is justified in terms of developments in macroeconomic theory over this period. Both a small calibrated model and a larger...

We generalise the analysis of inflation bias with dynamic Phillips curves in three respects. First, we examine the discretionary (time consistent) solution in cases where the Phillips curve has both a backward looking and forward-looking component. Second, we show that the commitment (time...

We analyse the stability of countries within a monetary union in the face of asymmetric shocks, using a simple but widely applicable model. We show that members of the union may be subject to severe, and possibly unstable, cycles following asymmetric shocks if there is a significant backward...

A New Keynesian model is used to derive a relationship between current and expected future inflation taking into account future inflationary pressure. This relationship is employed to examine inflationary dynamics resulting from real disturbances to the economy. Positive current inflationary...

This paper investigates the role of financial buffer stocks in company sector decisions. A stylized.analytic model is used to consider how adjustment costs in changing dividends can generate a role for a financial buffer stock in any expenditure decision by the firm which has a influence beyond...

Taylor rules, which link short-term interest rates to fluctuations in inflation and output, have been shown to be a good guide (both positively and normatively) to the conduct of monetary policy. As a result they have been used extensively to model policy in the context of both closed and open...

This paper examines the interactions between multiple national fiscal policy- makers and a single monetary policy maker in response to shocks to govern- ment debt in some or all of the countries of a monetary union. We assume that national governments respond to excess debt in an optimal manner,...