Inflation Targeting in the World Economy

The focus of this study is the potential contribution of inflation targeting as a framework for the conduct of monetary policy to the performance of the international financial system. It examines the challenges and opportunities presented by inflation targeting to different countries.

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This study reviews the literature on the contribution of low inflation to economic growth and the subsequent widespread adoption of inflation targeting as a monetary policy framework. Edwin Truman addresses the challenges and risks associated with such a framework. Building on these foundations, the study focuses on two major international economic policy issues: (1) the implications of differing national regimes of inflation targeting for international economic policy cooperation; and (2) the adoption of inflation targeting by emerging-market economies which often lack stable monetary policy environments and credible policy authorities-a situation which, among other things, can complicate the use of the inflation targeting framework as the basis for IMF-supported stabilization programs.