Which of the following best explains the negative slope of the short-run Phillips curve?
A) Weak growth in aggregate demand keeps the economy below potential GDP, so
unemployment rises but inflation falls.
B) Aggregate demand grows so quickly that the inflation rate rises as unemployment
rises.
C) Long-run aggregate supply increases quickly enough that inflation falls as
unemployment also falls.
D) Short-run aggregate supply increases at the same pace as aggregate demand
increases so that inflation and unemployment do not change.
Article Summary
In a September 2013 speech to the Independent Bankers Association of Texas, Federal
Reserve Bank of Dallas president Richard Fisher stated that the Fed’s credibility was
harmed when it announced the previous week that it would continue its large bond
purchasing program. In June, Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke had stated that that the
program could begin to be cut back later in the year, and several other Fed officials
expressed being open to the announced timing of this policy. Bernanke’s change in his
announced timeline of the Fed’s intentions regarding the bond purchasing program
brought criticism that the Fed had misled investors. In his speech, Fisher stated “I
disagreed with the decision of the committee and argued against it. Doing nothing at
this meeting would increase uncertainty about the future conduct of policy and call the
credibility of our communications into question. I believe that is exactly what has
occurred, though I take no pleasure in saying so.” Fisher has been a long-time
opponent of the Fed’s bond purchasing program, claiming it is ineffective and may well
lead to future inflation, and had been calling for the Fed to begin phasing out this
program in September.
Source: “Fisher: Standing pat on policy hurt Fed’s credibility,” Reuters, September 23,
2013.Refer to the Article Summary. If the Federal Reserve’s announcements about
upcoming monetary policy decisions are not seen as credible, as Richard Fisher alludes
to regarding the announcements about the bond purchasing program, which of the
following would you expect to see?
A) Inflation expectations will accurately reflect actual inflation.
B) Expansionary monetary policy will result in lower rates of inflation.