In: Economics
Question 4 (3 + 4 + 3 = 10 p.) As a new macroeconomic
expert at the Central bank, you are asked to answer the following
questions:
a) Why does a Central bank not have complete control over the size
of the money supply? Give two reasons.
b) Assume that the inflation rates over three time periods are 1
percent, 2 percent, and 4 percent. Nominal interest rates in the
same three periods are 5 percent, 5 percent, and 6 percent,
respectively.
i) What are the ex post real interest rates in the three
periods?
ii) If the expected inflation rate in each period is the realized
inflation rate in the previous period, what are the ex ante real
interest rates in periods 2 and 3?
iii) If someone lends money in period 2, based on the ex ante
inflation expectation in part (ii), will he or she be pleasantly or
unpleasantly surprised in period 3 when the loan is repaid?
Why?
c) If the Central bank wants to stimulate the economy (and reduce
the unemployment) in good times and contract the economy (and
reduce inflation) in bad times. What is preferable: that the
population has adaptive expectations or rational expectations?
Discuss shortly.