Using the Term Structure of Interest Rates for Monetary Policy

The term structure of interest rates serves both as a vital link in the transmission of monetary policy and as an indicator of inflation expectations. The term structure is used here in a new application to address the 'policy in the pipeline problem.' Likewise, a peso-problem interpretation involving inflation scares can resolve some anomalies in the term structure data. Nevertheless, pitfalls still remain in using the term structure for tactical purposes.