Don’t blame the mirror if your face is faulty – assessing the symmetry of the ECB's monetary policy responses

Abstract

The symmetry of the guideline for the monetary policy stance has recently attracted considerable attention in central banks’ communications. Both the Fed and the ECB have, in their recent strategy reviews, laid out that their preferences are symmetric about the inflation target of 2%. Indeed, the calibration of the inflation target was a key part of the ECB’s strategy review that was published in July.