An Investigation of the Fisher Effect in Zambia

THE UNIVERSITY OF ZAMBIA
SCHOOL OF HUMANITIES AND SOCIAL SCIENCES
DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMICS
POSTGRADUATE STUDIES

AN INVESTIGATION OF THE FISHER EFFECT IN ZAMBIA (1992-2011)

A Research Proposal for the Dissertation in Partial
Fulfillment of the Requirements of The
Degree of Master of Arts

RESEARCHER: MEBELO MUTEMWA
COMPUTER NO.: 531004482
SUPERVISORS: DR. C. NG’ANDWE DR. C. MPHUKA DATE: AUGUST, 2012. *
ABSTRACT
This study seeks to investigate the extent to which the Fisher Hypothesis holds in Zambia. The Fisher hypothesis states that nominal interest rates move one-for-one with expected inflation, leaving the real rate of interest unaffected. Interest rate is an important variable for macroeconomists because it links the economy of today and the economy of the future through its effects on saving and investment decisions. The validity of the Fisher effect also has important implications for monetary policy and needs to be considered by central banks. Despite the importance of the Fisher Hypothesis, very few studies have been carried out in developing countries compared to developed countries.
The study will utilize time series data for the period 1992 to 2011, this corresponds to the period in which interest rates were liberalized, and also the period in which Zambia was using monetary targeting as the monetary policy framework. The analysis will use the commercial bank lending rate as proxy measure of nominal interest rates and the Bank of Zambia (BOZ) inflation forecasts will be used as a measure of expected inflation. The Bounds test approach of Pesaran et. al. (2001) will be utilized to analyze the long run relationship between the nominal interest rate and expected inflation rate. * TABLE OF CONTENTS

ABSTRACT…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..i TABLE OF CONTENT……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………ii LIST OF ACRONYMS…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..iii 1.0

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