Self-confirming price dispersion in monetary economies

A-Tier
Journal: Journal of Economic Theory
Year: 2019
Volume: 183
Issue: C
Pages: 284-311

Authors (2)

Baughman, Garth (Federal Reserve Board (Board o...) Rabinovich, Stanislav (not in RePEc)

Score contribution per author:

2.011 = (α=2.01 / 2 authors) × 2.0x A-tier

α: calibrated so average coauthorship-adjusted count equals average raw count

Abstract

In a monetary economy, we show that price dispersion arises as an equilibrium outcome without the need for costly simultaneous search or any heterogeneity in preferences, production costs, or search technologies. A distribution of money holdings among buyers makes sellers indifferent across a set of posted prices, leading to a non-degenerate price distribution. This price distribution, in turn, makes buyers indifferent across a range of money balances, rationalizing the non-degenerate distribution of money holdings. We completely characterize the distribution of posted prices and money holdings in any equilibrium. Equilibria with price dispersion admit higher maximum prices than observed in any single-price equilibrium and feature an increasing density of prices, in contrast to existing theories. Price dispersion reduces welfare by creating mismatch between posted prices and money balances. Inflation exacerbates this welfare loss by shifting the distribution towards higher prices.

Technical Details

RePEc Handle
repec:eee:jetheo:v:183:y:2019:i:c:p:284-311
Journal Field
Theory
Author Count
2
Added to Database
2026-01-24