The New Keynesian Phillips Curve and Inflation Expectations: Re-Specification and Interpretation

A theoretical analysis of the new Keynesian Phillips curve (NKPC) is provided, formulating the conditions under which the NKPC coincides with a real-world relation that is not spurious or misspecified. A time-varying-coefficient (TVC) model, involving only observed variables, is shown to exactly represent the underlying “true” NKPC under certain conditions. In contrast, “hybrid” NKPC models, which add lagged-inflation and supply-shock variables, are shown to be spurious and misspecified. We also show how to empirically implement the NKPC under the assumption that expectations are formed rationally.