It is argued that inflation targeting is best understood as a commitment to a targeting rule rather than an instrument rule, either a general targeting rule (explicit objectives for monetary policy) or a specific targeting rule (a criterion for (the forecasts of) the target variables to be fulfilled), essentially the equality of the marginal rates of transformation and substitution between the target variables. Targeting rules allow the use of judgment and extra-model information, are more robust and easier to verify than optimal instrument rules, and they can nevertheless bring the economy close to the socially optimal equilibrium.
*Published:
Svensson, Lars E. O. "Targeting Versus Instrument Rules For Monetary Policy: What Is Wrong With McCallum And Nelson?," FRB St. Louis - Review, 2005, v87(5,Sep/Oct), 613-625.
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