RBA Annual Conference – 1992 OECD Country Experiences with Disinflation

Table 1: Developments in Consumer Prices (PC) and Wages (W)
(% change, annual average)
1973–79 1979–81 1981–86 1986–89 1990 19911 Peak (year)2 Trough (year)2
United States W 7.2 9.0 4.8 4.1 4.4 4.0 9.2 (1980) 3.3 (1989)
PC 7.8 10.0 3.7 4.3 5.0 4.1 10.8 (1980) 2.4 (1986)
Japan W 11.4 7.2 4.7 4.7 5.2 4.5 7.9 (1980) 3.5 (1987)
PC 8.0 5.6 1.7 0.6 2.6 2.6 7.1 (1980) −0.2 (1987)
Germany W 6.6 5.6 3.3 2.8 4.3 5.8 6.4 (1980) 2.8 (1989)
PC 4.3 5.9 2.5 1.4 2.5 3.6 6.2 (1981) −0.5 (1986)
France W 13.2 13.7 7.2 4.4 4.9 4.6 13.9 (1980) 3.5 (1987)
PC 10.9 13.4 6.9 3.2 3.0 2.9 13.5 (1980) 2.9 (1988)
Italy W 17.7 20.0 11.3 8.3 8.6 8.1 20.2 (1981) 7.3 (1986)
PC 16.6 19.3 10.9 5.3 6.2 6.2 20.5 (1980) 5.0 (1987)
United Kingdom W 14.5 14.6 8.1 8.1 10.0 8.5 18.5 (1980) 5.6 (1984)
PC 14.0 12.6 5.3 4.8 5.6 7.4 15.3 (1980) 4.3 (1987)
Canada W 9.4 9.9 4.9 6.3 6.3 4.7 11.0 (1981) 3.2 (1986)
PC 8.5 10.6 5.1 4.2 4.2 4.8 11.2 (1981) 3.7 (1985)
Austria W 8.6 6.7 5.1 3.6 7.2 5.1 7.6 (1980) 2.9 (1990)
PC 6.2 7.0 3.7 1.6 3.1 3.3 7.6 (1981) 0.9 (1987)
Belgium W 9.8 8.2 4.9 1.7 5.5 5.0 11.5 (1980) 0.9 (1987)
PC 7.2 7.4 4.0 2.2 3.5 3.3 8.7 (1981) 0.7 (1986)
Denmark W 11.0 10.0 5.1 4.5 3.6 3.0 12.0 (1982) 2.5 (1984)
PC 10.4 11.7 6.1 4.6 2.1 2.6 12.0 (1981) 2.1 (1990)
Ireland W 17.1 17.8 8.8 5.7 4.5 3.3 19.1 (1980) 3.3 (1991)
PC 14.5 19.1 7.4 3.2 3.2 3.0 19.6 (1981) 2.5 (1988)
Netherlands W 9.1 4.2 1.8 2.2 3.0 4.0 6.0 (1982) 0.5 (1984)
PC 6.8 6.3 1.8 0.9 2.5 3.4 7.0 (1980) −0.9 (1987)
New Zealand W 12.4 17.3 3.9 7.8 4.3 3.0 17.7(1981) 0.3 (1983)
PC 14.2 16.1 10.9 8.4 6.5 2.8 17.8 (1980) 2.8(1991)
Norway W 8.5 10.0 8.5 6.1 5.1 4.4 10.9 (1981) 3.9(1989)
PC 8.4 11.6 7.7 6.0 4.3 3.6 13.4 (1981) 3.6(1991)
Sweden W 9.5 8.5 7.6 8.8 11.3 6.3 11.3 (1990) 2.8 (1991)
PC 10.3 12.4 7.8 6.0 9.7 10.4 12.4 (1980) 4.6 (1986)
Australia W 11.7 12.1 7.5 6.3 7.0 3.5 12.3 (1980) 3.5 (1991)
PC 11.9 9.6 8.1 6.9 6.1 3.5 10.9 (1982) 3.5 (1991)
Average3 W 11.1 10.9 6.1 5.3 5.9 4.9 11.0 – 3.0 –
PC 10.0 11.2 5.8 4.0 4.4 4.2 12.1 – 2.4 –

1. Preliminary figures. 2. After 1979. 3. Unweighted.

Sources: OECD Economic Outlook (PC), OECD Historical Statistics (W for Austria); IMF International Financial Statistics (W for Ireland and New Zealand) and OECD National Accounts (W for other countries).