How raising interest rates can cause inflation and currency depreciation

In this paper we derive a new model on exchange rate response to a lasting higher interest rate level. Contemporary models do not provide a convincing explanation for this relationship, but recent research suggests that models based on demand-pull effects to be somewhat confined to small funding cos...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Jón Helgi Egilsson
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Taylor & Francis Group 2020-01-01
Series:Journal of Applied Economics
Subjects:
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/15140326.2020.1795526
Description
Summary:In this paper we derive a new model on exchange rate response to a lasting higher interest rate level. Contemporary models do not provide a convincing explanation for this relationship, but recent research suggests that models based on demand-pull effects to be somewhat confined to small funding cost increases. This would make cost-push effects more relevant when the interest rate differential (IRD) is larger and longer-lasting. The new model accounts for cost-push effects and suggests that a persistent higher IRD can evoke multiple responses, including currency depreciation, specialization, inflation, and wage drift. The model suggests that excessive long-lasting IRD can spark a chronic interaction between inflation and currency depreciation. Empirical data substantiate the prediction capability of the new model. We also demonstrate how the uncovered interest rate parity (UIP) principle is a special case, which can explain its empirical research anomalies, and when carry trade is a profitable investment strategy.
ISSN:1514-0326
1667-6726