Publications

The paper provides estimates for the New Keynesian Phillips curve (NKPC) in Lithuania. The paper considers the baseline and hybrid NKPC, the latter accounting for inflation inertia, under the closed and open economy frameworks. The estimates highlight the importance of expected and lagged inflation in the inflation formation process. The role of real marginal cost is found to be limited in shaping the dynamics of inflation. The study yields estimates for the underlying characteristics of pricing behaviour in Lithuania. The estimates show that the price duration stands at around 2.2–2.8 quarters, while the fraction of firms that adjust prices in a backward looking way amounts to around one third.

JEL Codes: D40, E30.

The views expressed are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent those of the Bank of Lithuania.

The paper examines price setting in Lithuania based on ad hoc survey of the Bank of Lithuania “On Price and Wage Setting”. The study extends the survey data analysis presented in Virbickas (2009). The paper points to the incidence of both the time-dependent and the state-dependent price reviewing policies used by the investigated firms, though the price reviewing practices appear to be somewhat tilted to the state-dependent pricing. Analysis provides evidence on the reasons for upward and downward stickiness of prices. Delayed price adjustment is found to be mostly related to the price adjustment stage rather than the price reviewing stage. The most momentous explanations for not adjusting prices upwards or downwards rest on the cost-based pricing and the explicit contracts. The study finds an asymmetric influence of some of the price factors. In particular, the cost factors are found to be decisive in invoking the price increase rather than the price decrease.

JEL Codes: D40, E30.

The views expressed are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent those of the Bank of Lithuania.

This paper investigates the wage and price setting behaviour of Lithuanian firms on the basis of an ad hoc survey “On Price and Wage Setting” undertaken by the Bank of Lithuania. The paper provides survey evidence on the frequency of wage and price changes. The frequency of wage changes turns out to be higher in firms that apply collective pay agreements, while the frequency of price changes appears to be positively affected by the market competition. Labour cost share is not found to be significant in making the impact on the frequency of price changes. This paper also investigates the role of certain technological, institutional and other factors in shaping firms’ responses to a negative demand shock, an intermediate input cost shock and a wage shock. A higher labour cost share is found to increase the likelihood of a price increase following a wage shock. Flexible wage components mitigate firms’ responses to a slowdown in demand and an intermediate input cost increase. The behaviour of firms following the investigated shocks is also affected by the level of competition. The role of collective pay agreements appears to be rather limited in shaping responses of firms to the shocks.

JEL Codes: D40, J30.

The views expressed are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent those of the Bank of Lithuania.