Pascal Seiler

Pascal Seiler

PhD candidate and Researcher

ETH Zurich

KOF Swiss Economic Institute

Biography

I am a PhD candidate in Economics at the Department of Management, Technology, and Economics at ETH Zurich and a Researcher at the KOF Swiss Economic Institute of ETH Zurich.

My professional experience covers research and policy positions at the European Central Bank (ECB), Swiss National Bank (SNB), and ETH Zurich. During my doctoral studies, I was part of the Price-Setting Microdata Analysis (PRISMA) research network set up by the European System of Central Banks (ESCB).

I hold a Master’s degree (MSc) in International and Monetary Economics from the University of Basel and the University of Bern and a Bachelor’s degree (BA) in Mathematics and Philosophy from the University of Basel. My academic performance has been honored with multiple awards.

Interests
  • Empirical macroeconomics
  • Monetary economics
  • Price setting
Education

  • PhD in Economics, 2024 (expected)

    ETH Zurich

  • MSc in International and Monetary Economics, 2017

    University of Basel, University of Bern

  • BA in Mathematics and Philosophy, 2015

    University of Basel

Publications

Peter Karadi, Juergen Amann, Javier Sánchez Bachiller, Pascal Seiler, Jesse Wursten (2023). Price setting on the two sides of the Atlantic - Evidence from supermarket scanner data. Journal of Monetary Economics.

Article ECB Working Paper No. 2853 CEPR DP No. 18126 VoxEU

Pascal Seiler (2020). Weighting bias and inflation in the time of Covid-19: Evidence from Swiss transaction data. Swiss Journal of Economics and Statistics.

Article CEPR Covid Economics Nr. 35 ifo Schnelldienst, 74, Nr. 09 KOF Bulletin Nr. 146 KOF Bulletin Nr. 143 VoxEU Ökonomenstimme TagesAnzeiger SonntagsZeitung (December 2020) SonntagsZeitung (July 2020) Neue Zürcher Zeitung

Research in progress

Surprises in Prices: Facts, Determinants, and Effects
This paper examines the determinants of firms' price expectation errors and their effects on both price setting and inflation dynamics. …
Pascal Seiler
Current version
Surprises in Prices: Facts, Determinants, and Effects
How Do Companies Set Their Prices? Survey Evidence From Switzerland
Using a survey of Swiss companies, this paper provides qualitative evidence on price-setting behavior along different stages of price …
Pascal Seiler
KOF Analysen 2022(4) KOF Bulletin Nr. 169 SRF 10vor10 SRF News SRF Espresso Blick
How Do Companies Set Their Prices? Survey Evidence From Switzerland
Price Setting Before and During the Pandemic: Evidence from Swiss Consumer Prices
We provide new evidence on price rigidity at the product level based on microdata underlying the Swiss consumer price index from 2008 …
Barbara Rudolf, Pascal Seiler
ECB Working Paper No. 2748 SNB Working Paper No. 2022-12 KOF Working Paper No. 506 SUERF Policy Brief No. 512
Price Setting Before and During the Pandemic: Evidence from Swiss Consumer Prices
The Ukraine war has raised long-term inflation expectations
Until recently, central banks such as the ECB and the Swiss National Bank considered the current rise in inflation to be temporary, …
Pascal Seiler
VoxEU Ökonomenstimme TagesAnzeiger Finanz und Wirtschaft La Liberté KOF Bulletin Nr. 161
The Ukraine war has raised long-term inflation expectations
Time Variation in Price Setting and Monetary Policy Non-Neutrality
In this paper, we examine the scope and implications of recent changes in price stickiness based on the micro price data underlying the …
Barbara Rudolf, Pascal Seiler
Slides
Time Variation in Price Setting and Monetary Policy Non-Neutrality
See all

Policy reports

Study on inflation expectations in the survey of Swiss consumer sentiment
The Swiss Consumer Sentiment Index has been one of the most important economic indicators for Switzerland since 1972. This survey …
Klaus Abberger, Nina Mühlebach, Pascal Seiler, Stefanie Siegrist
Grundlagen für die Wirtschaftspolitik Nr. 51 KOF Studies
Study on inflation expectations in the survey of Swiss consumer sentiment
Price setting during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic
The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic caused a deep recession globally, as well as in the euro area, accompanied by a steep decline in …
Lukas Henkel, Elisabeth Wieland, Aneta Błażejowska, Cristina Conflitti, Brian Fabo, Ludmila Fadejeva, Jana Jonckheere, Peter Karadi, Paweł Macias, Jan-Oliver Menz, Pascal Seiler, Karol Szafranek
ECB Occasional Paper No. 324
Price setting during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic
Wirtschaftliche Auswirkungen der Haltung der EU in Zusammenhang mit den institutionellen Fragen CH-EU
Machbarkeitsstudie im Auftrag des Eidgenössischen Departements für auswärtige Angelegenheiten (EDA). Im Januar 2019 erfolgte in der EU …
Klaus Abberger, Nina Mühlebach, Pascal Seiler, Michael Siegenthaler, Stefanie Siegrist, Jan-Egbert Sturm, Martin Wörter
Causes and effects of a low interest period - an empirical analysis with micro- and macrodata
Since the end of the 1980s, interest rates have fallen both nominally and in real terms worldwide. This development can also be …
Reto Föllmi, Torsten Schmidt, Niklas Isaak, Philipp Jäger, Pascal Seiler
Grundlagen für die Wirtschaftspolitik Nr. 26 Die Volkswirtschaft TagesAnzeiger Neue Zürcher Zeitung Le Temps Finanz und Wirtschaft Nau
Causes and effects of a low interest period - an empirical analysis with micro- and macrodata

Other contributions

Investment Survey Autumn 2023
Investment on the rise, but not in all sectors
KOF Bulletin Nr. 182 KOF Investment Survey
Konjunkturanalyse: Prognose 2024 / 2025
Swiss economy in the wake of the international economic downturn
KOF Economic Forecast 2023 Q4
Konjunkturanalyse: Prognose 2024 / 2025
Swiss economy: domestic economy bolstered - foreign trade weakened
KOF Economic Forecast 2023 Q3
KOF Wirtschaftsforum 2023
Nachhaltige Investitionen: Wie Unternehmen dem Klimawandel begegnen
Slides KOF Bulletin Nr. 175
Investment Survey Spring 2023
Climate risks and investment: how Swiss companies are dealing with climate change
KOF Bulletin Nr. 175 KOF Investment Survey
See all

Education

 
 
 
 
 
ETH Zurich
PhD candidate in Economics
ETH Zurich
Sep 2019 – Present
 
 
 
 
 
London School of Economics and Political Science
Tools for Macroeconomists: The Essentials & Advanced Tools
London School of Economics and Political Science
Jul 2019 – Aug 2019
Numerical methods for analysing and estimating macroeconomic models (DSGE models, models with heterogeneous agents, continuous-time models)
 
 
 
 
 
University of Basel, University of Bern
Master of Science (MSc) in International and Monetary Economics
University of Basel, University of Bern
Dec 2017 – Feb 2015
Grade: summa cum laude
Thesis: Expectation Formation and Monetary Policy in an Agent-Based Model (with distinction)
 
 
 
 
 
University of Basel
Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Mathematics and Philosophy
University of Basel
Feb 2012 – Dec 2014
Grade: summa cum laude (Philosophy) and insigni cum laude (Mathematics)
Thesis: Deduction between Moral Law and Freedom. On Immanuel Kant’s Attempt of a Moral Foundation in his Critique of Practical Reason (in German)

Experience

 
 
 
 
 
European Central Bank, Directorate General Research
Consultant
European Central Bank, Directorate General Research
Sep 2021 – Dec 2023 Frankfurt
 
 
 
 
 
European Central Bank, Directorate General Research
PhD Trainee
European Central Bank, Directorate General Research
Sep 2020 – Aug 2020 Frankfurt
 
 
 
 
 
ETH Zurich, KOF Swiss Economic Institute
Doctoral Researcher
ETH Zurich, KOF Swiss Economic Institute
Jul 2019 – Present Zurich
 
 
 
 
 
Swiss National Bank, Inflation Forecasting
Intern
Swiss National Bank, Inflation Forecasting
May 2018 – Apr 2019 Zurich
 
 
 
 
 
University of Basel, Computational Economics and Finance
Research Assistant
University of Basel, Computational Economics and Finance
Sep 2017 – Apr 2018 Basel
 
 
 
 
 
University of Basel, Practical Philosophy
Teaching Assistant
University of Basel, Practical Philosophy
Aug 2014 – Jan 2015 Basel
 
 
 
 
 
Manor AG
Online Merchandise Manager
Manor AG
Jan 2015 – Apr 2017 Basel

Academic awards & grants

Research grant
Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs Sep 2023 – Dec 2023
Economic study on the measurement of inflation expectations in the Swiss consumer sentiment survey (CHF 50,000)
Isaac Kerstenetzky Award 2022
Fundação Getulio Vargas Sep 2022
The paper Surprises in Prices: Firms' Price Expectations and Changes in Their Price Plans was chosen as the best paper in the Young Researcher Category of the 36th CIRET conference in Istanbul, Turkey.
Research grant
Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs Apr 2020 – Jun 2021
Research grant to study the impact of low interest rates on firms' investment activity (CHF 130,000)
Award for the best Master’s thesis 2017/2018
Department of Business and Economics, University of Basel Dec 2018
Winner of the 2014 essay competition
Swiss Philosophy Society May 2014
The dignity of embryos. On the moral status of prenatal life and the social significance of the discussion about its recognition
Basler Maturandenpreis der Novartis
Novartis International AG Feb 2011
Novartis has been awarding the Basler Maturandenpreis since 1969 to one graduate student per school and year for his or her outstanding academic performance, excellent social skills and exceptional commitment during his or her time at school.
Maturandenpreis Basel-Landschaft
Canton of Basel-Landschaft Dec 2010
Graduation award for a grade point average of 5.8 / 6.0

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