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Openness and inflation volatility: cross-country evidence Christopher Bowdler, Nuffield College, University of Oxford Adeel Malik, CSAE, University of Oxford WPS/2005-08 Download the Paper (PDF format) - May 23, 2005 Tell a colleague about it. Printing Tips: Select 'print as image' in the Acrobat print dialog if you have trouble printing. ABSTRACT: Recent decades have seen a considerable expansion of global trade and a simultaneous decline in inflation volatility. This paper investigates whether greater openness to trade helps achieveinflation stability. Using panel data for a sample of developing and industrial countries over the period 1961-2000, we document a negative and statistically significant effect of openness on inflation volatility. This relationship is estimated after controlling for the potential endogeneity of openness, and the average rate of inflation. We conduct a battery of robustness tests, showing in particular the robustness of our conclusions to controlling for the choice of exchange rate regime. A sub-sample analysis suggests that the relationship between openness and inflation volatility is more pronounced in developing and emerging market economies than in OECD countries. We also identify potential channels underpinning this relationship. In particular, we provide evidence that openness may promote inflation stability through dampening monetary and terms of trade shocks. SUGGESTED CITATION: Christopher Bowdler and Adeel Malik, "Openness and inflation volatility: cross-country evidence" (May 23, 2005). The Centre for the Study of African Economies Working Paper Series. Working Paper 242. http://www.bepress.com/csae/paper242