A Neutral Real Interest Rate in the Case of a Small Open Economy: Application to Ukraine

Abstract

This paper measures a neutral interest rate in Ukraine by means of applying a Kalman filter to a semistructural model with unobserved components. We rely on a medium-term concept of a neutral interest rate, where it is defined as a real interest rate consistent with output at its potential level and inflation at its target level after the effects of all cyclical shocks have disappeared. Under this concept, and accounting for the small open nature of Ukrainian economy, the neutral interest rate is determined by the global economy’s cost of capital and domestic long-term factors that influence risk-premium and changes in the real exchange rate. Conditional on long-term forecasts for output, demographic trends, real exchange rate changes, and risk premium, the neutral rate is projected to decrease gradually from its 2.5% level as of the beginning of 2018 to 2% in real terms, or to 7% in nominal terms under a 5% inflation target. However, in the following years, the gap between the National Bank of Ukraine’s policy rate and the neutral rate should remain positive – reflecting the tight monetary stance needed to ensure stable disinflation.