Costly Inflation Misperceptions

Arbeitspapier

One of the consequences of the euro changeover in 2002 was that for a period of several years people considerably overestimated actual inflation. The goal of this paper is to study whether misperceptions of this kind may have real effects, that is, whether they induce people to alter their behaviour. We also discuss the question how far the euro changeover and the ensuing discussion about price stability contributed to the recession that followed the changeover. Looking at the German restaurant sector, we find that people’s misperceptions can have significant negative effects. The contraction this sector experienced in the months after the changeover was too pronounced to be explained by normal business cycle movements. We provide a discussion about the causes of these misperceptions and how to avoid them in future changeovers.

Object Details

• Language: Englisch

References and Relationships

• Bibliographic citation: Series: Discussion Paper Series ; No. 455

Classification and Topics

• Classification: Wirtschaft ; Consumer Economics: Empirical Analysis ; Macroeconomics: Consumption; Saving; Wealth ; Single Equation Models; Single Variables: Time-Series Models; Dynamic Quantile Regressions; Dynamic Treatment Effect Models; Diffusion Processes
• Subject: euro changeover ; perceived inflation ; Währungsumstellung ; Euro ; Inflationserwartung ; Wahrnehmung ; Gastronomie ; Branchenkrise ; Deutschland

Contributors, Places and Time

• Event: Geistige Schöpfung
• (who): Eife, Thomas A. ; Meier, Stephan
• Event: Veröffentlichung
• (who): University of Heidelberg, Department of Economics
• (where): Heidelberg
• (when): 2007

Further information

• Handle: http://hdl.handle.net/10419/127274
• Last update: 10.03.2025, 11:46 AM CET