Learning from Monetary and Fiscal Policy

Abstract

We present a dynamic incomplete information model where monetary and fiscal policy instruments serve as endogenous signals for the private sector. We highlight a novel information channel of policy interactions, and show the general equilibrium (GE) information feedback between policies largely shapes the economy's response to policy shocks. We document a non-monotone signaling effect of policies with respect to the policy rule parameters. Our analysis shows the GE information feedback is quantitatively significant, and the model provides a unified explanation of the various policy impacts on inflation, the dynamics of survey expectations, and the missing inflation after the Great Recession.