Time-Dependent or State-Dependent Price Setting? Micro-Evidence from German Metal-Working Industries

64 Pages Posted: 10 Nov 2005

See all articles by Harald Stahl

Harald Stahl

Deutsche Bundesbank - Economics Department

Multiple version iconThere are 2 versions of this paper

Date Written: October 2005

Abstract

Price setting in German metal-working industries is analysed using a monthly panel of individual price data for more than 2,000 plants covering the period from 1980 to 2001. Motivated by several models in the literature, a duration model is estimated. Price changes can be explained by a combination of state-dependence and time-dependence. Time-dependence clearly dominates and is strongest if a price increase follows a price increase. This occurs most likely after 1, 4, 5, 8, 9, ... quarters. This time-dependent effect is so strong and cost and price increases are so weak in the observed period that adjustment occurs before the sticky price sufficiently deviates from the flexible price, as traditional menu cost models assume. State-dependence seems to be most relevant in periods with decreasing demand. Then firms reduce prices and the time between two price cuts only rarely exceeds four months.

Keywords: price rigidity, duration analysis, business survey data

JEL Classification: D43, E31, L11

Suggested Citation

Stahl, Harald, Time-Dependent or State-Dependent Price Setting? Micro-Evidence from German Metal-Working Industries (October 2005). ECB Working Paper No. 534, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=825626 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.825626

Harald Stahl (Contact Author)

Deutsche Bundesbank - Economics Department ( email )

Wilhelm-Epstein-Strasse 14
60431 Frankfurt am Main
Germany

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