Is Inflation Harmful

Q. Should the Government be concerned if the CPI rises to 5% ?

The Govt set the MPC a target for CPI of 2% +/-1 therefore it believes inflation higher than 3% is potentially damaging for the economy.

It depends on inflation in other countries. If inflation in the UK is higher than elsewhere then UK goods will become uncompetitive leading to a fall in demand for UK exports.

If there is a fall in demand for Exports then there may be a deficit on the current account Balance of Payments. However this may be offset by a devaluation that is likely to occur

However if inflation is high there will be a devaluation of the exchange rate, This is something the govt wishes to avoid as it creates uncertainty amongst business.

Higher rates of inflation may cause menu costs, which means firms have to change price lists quite often. However this is not that significant when inflation is only 5%.

If inflation is caused by unsustainable economic growth then the boom may be followed by a recession . To keep inflation within target the Bof E will have to increase interest rates, this causes problems because AD will fall causing lower growth.

Higher rates of inflation are disliked by business because it makes it more difficult to predict future costs. Therefore investment will be lower, Countries with lower inflation rates generally have poorer economic growth.

A high rate of inflation would make it more difficult to join the EURO, because it would breach the Maastricht criteria. If inflation in the UK was higher than Europe a single Monetary policy would be ineffective for the UK

If the inflation was world wide caused by an increase in the oil price, it may be necessary to revise the inflation target of 2.5% . The UK would not lose its competitive advantage because every country would have higher inflation. TO reduce inflation would cause stagflation (lower growth and lower prices)

Inflation may cause redistribution of income from savers to borrowers, although this will depend upon the rate of interest. E.g. if interest rate were 8% savers would still have a real interest rate of 3% It depends on whether wages are keeping up with inflation. If wages were only increasing by 4% then real wages would be falling.

Should the govt be concerned with inflation falling below 2%?

If prices are falling because AS shifts to the right because of new technology, this is beneficial for the economy, because growth is increasing and jobs being created

If deflation is cause by falling AD then this is serious economic problem because it indicates a recession with problems such as unemployment, lower output and a negative multiplier effect

Deflation can cause problems for the economy. It means that those who have debts will see the real value of debts increase, this will lead to lower consumer confidence and possibly lower AD and economic growth

Deflation makes monetary policy ineffective. This is because interest rates cannot be reduced below 0%.

Companies cannot alter real wages easily because workers are very resistant to any cut in nominal wage wages.

It is more difficult to set prices when there is deflation

- Richard Pettinger 1/12/2002

Copyright (c) Richard Pettinger

http://www.richardpettinger.com/

car service from Midway Burlington .. Lockport Chicago limo O’Hare
In The News:

Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson says a malware app called SpyLend is posing as a financial tool, hitting 100,000-plus downloads.
Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson says Clone Robotics’ Protoclone mimics humans with 1,000 muscles – too human for comfort.
Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson urges you to use Apple’s App Privacy Report to see what your apps are really up to.
Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson talks about how to smoothly transfer your data from an old laptop to a new one using cloud storage or external drives.
Kurt the CyberGuy offers tips to safeguard your personal information as scammers become more sophisticated with scam texts and other methods.
WeRide's unmanned electric delivery van, the Robovan W5, has 194 cubic feet of cargo space and can carry payloads up to about 2,205 pounds
Kurt the CyberGuy recommends deleting 16 browser extensions immediately in response to a report saying more than 3.2 million web users were affected by a security breach.
Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.
A robotics firm in China claims a robot has performed the world's first humanoid robot front flip, which is significantly more difficult than a backflip.
A digital ID may be even more secure than a physical ID. Storing your driver's license in your Apple Wallet is an ideal solution for commuters.
A cybersecurity firm has shed some light on just how common tax scams have become. Kurt the CyberGuy offers his advice for how to protect your refund.
Lifesize Plans offers immersive walk-throughs that allow customers the opportunity to tour a home's design before construction actually begins.
Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.
A man invested $4 million in bitcoin and lost it all with a single click when he was targeted by a vishing scam, which uses phone calls to trick people.
Expandable's Touchdown is a designer trailer that promises a luxury off-grid living experience and unfolds into a home in about 15 minutes.
Major employee screening company data breach affects 3.3 million people. Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson explains what happened and gives five ways to protect your data.
Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson reveals mind-blowing tech that gives you sunlight on demand.
New malware "FrigidStealer" targets Mac computers. Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson offers four ways to stay safe from infostealer malware.
Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson talks about how lab-grown muscles power a biohybrid hand for scalable prosthetics and research.
Reports of task scams have significantly risen in the past four years, according to the Federal Trade Commission. Kurt the CyberGuy offers some red flags.
iPhones have a hidden folder that eats up storage without you knowing it. Kurt the CyberGuy offers some tricks to free up storage on your device.
A recent ransomeware attack targeted Zacks, an American investment firm, and a cybercriminal claimed to have stolen records for millions of customers.
Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.
Researchers unveiled a new soft prosthetic hand that combines the natural coordination patterns of our fingers with the decoding of motoneuron activity in the spinal column.
Accidentally deleting a text message on your iPhone or iPad is not a problem if you still need the message. Apple has a built-in way to recover it.

Fight Terror, With Education

A War on Terrorism? Conventional war being brought on an... Read More

Responding to Article: Logic Class 101 Applied to the Minuteman Project

In response to Douglas Bower's article; Logic Class 101 Applied... Read More

The Ugly American Returns!

Originally published in 1958, "The Ugly American" (Lederer & Burdick)... Read More

Bird Flu may kill you and your family

We have heard a lot about the coming bird flu... Read More

Confession of a King

Rufus King: (Said to be the fifth most important person... Read More

Where have all the Heroes gone

America is filled with standouts and perserverance; our nation has... Read More

Using a Meteor Shower as Decoy for ICBM Attack

In the event of that a threatening nation to the... Read More

Thomas Paine / Jefferson

Conor MacDari was a Mason but his Masonry deplored the... Read More

The Will To Fight for Islam

The more I study the dynamics of WWII the more... Read More

Fair Trade and Pearls in the U.S.

Guides for RetailersThe regulations about marketing pearls are listed in... Read More

Corruption and Transparency

I. The FactsJust days before a much-awaited donor conference, the... Read More

Conspiracy Theory; Kill Off the Old Folks

Recently I met a man in a coffee shop, a... Read More

Fear, Controversy and Chaos in the Media

Most modern day media stories containing fear, controversy and chaos... Read More

Iranian Elections and Boiling Points

The Iranian elections are certainly interesting indeed. The ruling party... Read More

Protecting Our Buses from International Terrorists

We know that the International Terrorists like the idea of... Read More

Gone With the Wind Almost Did Not Make It

Corporate America has been shaken recently by lawsuits and criminal... Read More

Liquidity or Liquidation

Large parts of the world today suffer from a severe... Read More

US Government Owes Martha Stewart 1 Billion Dollars

The prosecutors in the Martha Stewart Case used testimony from... Read More

News Media Misguided or Just Plain Liars?

Last week, the media coverage called the airplane crash in... Read More

The Second Coming in Albania

Blessed with Chinese GDP growth rates (7-8% annually in each... Read More

Without Trucks America Stops

Do you ever wonder how everything gets to the super... Read More

Cindy Sheehan ? President Bush and the Accountability Moment

Death may not be dignified in any light but the... Read More

Look! America Take a Look!

I heard on the news this week how America continues... Read More

Federal Trade Commission and Dismal Performance on Mergers

Most citizens agree that we need the Federal Trade Commission... Read More

The World of Diplomatic Backstage

De-classification of official documents have been a routine practice in... Read More

Granger limo Chicago ..