On the Optimality of Eliminating Seasonality in Nominal Interest Rates

It is shown that the short delay in the availability of newly acquired funds for consumption purchases (the hallmark of cash-in-advance models) typically makes the seasonal steady state inefficient. It is also shown that monetary policy can overcome this inefficiency by keeping the nominal interest rate constant over the seasons. An analytical model is also presented to explore the effects of seasonal smoothing of nominal interest rates on the seasonal amplitude of other closely related variables.