Housing Prices, Inflation Measurement and Monetary Policy in the Euro Area

Abstract The ECB’s low interest rate policy has contributed to a sharp increase in residential property prices in many euro area countries. In some member states, exuberance in the housing market has led to financial and debt crises. The Eurostat’s Harmonized Index of Consumer Prices (HICP), the ECB...

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Main Authors: Alexander Herborn, Gunther Schnabl
Format: Article
Language:deu
Published: Springer 2022-05-01
Series:Wirtschaftsdienst
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1007/s10273-022-3196-2
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author Alexander Herborn
Gunther Schnabl
author_facet Alexander Herborn
Gunther Schnabl
author_sort Alexander Herborn
collection DOAJ
description Abstract The ECB’s low interest rate policy has contributed to a sharp increase in residential property prices in many euro area countries. In some member states, exuberance in the housing market has led to financial and debt crises. The Eurostat’s Harmonized Index of Consumer Prices (HICP), the ECB’s basis for its monetary policy, does not take residential property prices into account. In the recent policy review, the ECB envisaged the integration of owner-occupied housing into the HICP based on a new index from Eurostat. Focusing on Germany, this article examines the impact of owner-occupied housing on officially measured inflation rates and highlights the weaknesses of the ECB’s envisioned approach.
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spelling doaj.art-3d9aef6e09b642cc8eb19ad001dd9ae82022-12-22T00:30:56ZdeuSpringerWirtschaftsdienst1613-978X2022-05-01102540240710.1007/s10273-022-3196-2Housing Prices, Inflation Measurement and Monetary Policy in the Euro AreaAlexander Herborn0Gunther Schnabl1Institut für Wirtschaftspolitik, Universität LeipzigInstitut für Wirtschaftspolitik, Universität LeipzigAbstract The ECB’s low interest rate policy has contributed to a sharp increase in residential property prices in many euro area countries. In some member states, exuberance in the housing market has led to financial and debt crises. The Eurostat’s Harmonized Index of Consumer Prices (HICP), the ECB’s basis for its monetary policy, does not take residential property prices into account. In the recent policy review, the ECB envisaged the integration of owner-occupied housing into the HICP based on a new index from Eurostat. Focusing on Germany, this article examines the impact of owner-occupied housing on officially measured inflation rates and highlights the weaknesses of the ECB’s envisioned approach.https://doi.org/10.1007/s10273-022-3196-2
spellingShingle Alexander Herborn
Gunther Schnabl
Housing Prices, Inflation Measurement and Monetary Policy in the Euro Area
Wirtschaftsdienst
title Housing Prices, Inflation Measurement and Monetary Policy in the Euro Area
title_full Housing Prices, Inflation Measurement and Monetary Policy in the Euro Area
title_fullStr Housing Prices, Inflation Measurement and Monetary Policy in the Euro Area
title_full_unstemmed Housing Prices, Inflation Measurement and Monetary Policy in the Euro Area
title_short Housing Prices, Inflation Measurement and Monetary Policy in the Euro Area
title_sort housing prices inflation measurement and monetary policy in the euro area
url https://doi.org/10.1007/s10273-022-3196-2
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