Asymmetry in the exchange rate pass-through to consumer prices in Eastern European countries

Abstract

Using quarterly data from Q1 2002 to Q4 2021, a Nonlinear Autoregressive Distributed Lag (NARDL) model is utilised to investigate the potential asymmetry in the exchange rate pass-through (ERPT) to consumer prices in 11 Eastern European countries. The findings show that both the appreciations and depreciations of the nominal effective exchange rate (NEER) have significant long-term effects on consumer prices, with the appreciations being stronger in countries with a fixed exchange rate regime, especially the Baltic States. Incomplete long-term ERPT is observed in the majority of countries, except Estonia. Short-term ERPT is much weaker and often of an opposite direction for appreciations and depreciations. Additionally, a strong uniform long-term effect of both the money supply and crude oil prices was observed, while the short-term effects are mixed. As regards economic liberalisation, both long- and short-term effects are country-specific and of a different direction.