Is Digitalization Driving Domestic Inflation?

Abstract

This paper examines the extent to which digitalization-measured by a new proxy based on IP addresses allocations per country-has influenced inflation dynamics in a sample of 36 advanced and emerging economies over 2000-2017. Phillips curve estimates show that digitalization has a statistically significant negative effect on inflation in the short run. Its economic impact is not large but has increased since 2012 and mainly operates through a cost/competition channel. Principal components and cointegration analysis further suggest digitalization is a key driver of lower trend inflation.

Keywords: Consumer price indexes, Nominal effective exchange rate, Price indexes, Purchasing power parity, Commodity price indexes, Inflation, Digitalization, IP Address, Internet., WP, Phillips curve, inflation expectation, output gap, principal component

JEL Classification: E31, E58, F62, L86, E01, C43, Q02, D4