Abstract:
The objective of this paper is to enhance the understanding of inflation dynamics in Malta and investigate the underlying sources of inflation differentials with the euro area. A country that registers persistently higher inflation than its main trading partners will suffer from a deterioration in its external price competitiveness, with subsequent losses in output and employment. This is even more relevant in the context of a monetary union, where asymmetric shocks cannot be corrected by changes in monetary or exchange rate policies but rather through structural policies and relative adjustments in prices and wages.