Explaining International Differences in Genetically Modified Food Labeling Policies*

Many countries have adopted labeling policies for genetically modified (GM) food, and the regulations vary considerably across countries. We evaluate the importance of political‐economic factors implicit in the choice of GM food labeling regulations. Using an analytical model, we show that production and trade‐related interests play a prominent role in labeling decision‐making. This conclusion is validated by an empirical analysis of GM food labeling policy choices. We find that countries producing GM crops are more likely to have less stringent labeling policies. Food and feed exporters to the European Union (EU) and Japan are more likely to have adopted stricter labeling policies. Labeling regulations in Asia and Europe are similar to those of Japan and the EU. Countries with no labeling policies are less developed, with important rural sectors and are more likely to have ratified the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety.     

Two-stage non Gaussian QML estimation of GARCH models and testing the efficiency of the Gaussian QMLE

In generalized autoregressive conditional heteroskedastic (GARCH) models, the standard identifiability assumption that the variance of the iid process is equal to 1 can be replaced by an alternative moment assumption. We show that, for estimating the original specification based on the standard identifiability assumption, efficiency gains can be expected from using a quasi-maximum likelihood (QML) estimator based on a non Gaussian density and a reparameterization based on an alternative identifiability assumption. A test allowing to determine whether a reparameterization is needed, that is, whether the more efficient QMLE is obtained with a non Gaussian density, is proposed.     

INFLATION,OUTPUT, AND WELFARE*

We study the effects of anticipated inflation on aggregate output and welfare within a search‐theoretic framework. We consider two pricing mechanisms: ex post bargaining and a notion of competitive pricing. Under bargaining, the equilibrium is generically inefficient and an increase in inflation reduces buyers' search intensities, output, and welfare. If prices are posted and buyers can direct their search, search intensities are increasing with inflation for low inflation rates and decreasing for high inflation rates. The Friedman rule achieves the efficient allocation, and inflation always reduces welfare, although it can have a positive effect on output for low inflation rates.     

A Systematic Decomposition of World Trade into Horizontal and Vertical IIT

We provide a systematic decomposition of world trade using harmonized bilateral flows at the most available detail (some 5,000 product categories), into three trade types: inter-industry, intra-industry in horizontally and in vertically differentiated products. The analysis is diachronic and considers country pairs such as France-Germany, United States-China, Malaysia-Singapore, or India-Nigeria. We show that the increase in IIT at the world level is due to two-way trade of vertically differentiated products. We find France and Germany having the highest share of IIT in their bilateral trade among all country pairs in the world. In value terms, the most important bilateral IIT is between the United States and Canada. Recently, specialization according to the classical theories of international trade (inter-industry trade), has recovered, due to the increasing participation of emerging economies in world trade. JEL no. F14, F15     

Calibration risk: Illustrating the impact of calibration risk under the Heston model

It is already well documented that model risk is an important issue regarding the pricing of exotics (see Schoutens et al., in A perfect calibration! Now what?, Wilmott Magazine, March 2004: pp 66–78, 2004). Arguments have been made to put this into the perspective of bid-ask pricing using the theory of conic finance and pricing to acceptability (Cherny and Madan Review of Financial Studies, 22: 2571–2606, 2009). In this paper we show also the presence and importance of calibration risk. More particularly, we point out that a variety of plausible calibration methods lead again to serious price differences for exotics and different distributions of the P&L of the delta-hedging strategy. This is illustrated under the popular Heston stochastic volatility model, which is used among practitioners to price all kinds of exotic and structured products. This paper shows that it is prudent to take some additional safety margin into account for the pricing of these structured notes.     

When trade unions turn to litigation: ‘getting all the ducks in a row’

Driven by their members' demands and the need to adopt more combative legal strategies in order to oppose the deterioration of working and employment conditions, British trade unions have developed in‐house legal expertise and supported many individual and multiple claims. This article investigates the variation in unions' legal practices and examines their organisational responses to law and the role of compliance professionals in the regulation of employment litigation. It provides a nuanced account of the influence of legal rationality on the framing of union strategies and shows that, under certain conditions, trade unions are able to build multi‐pronged tactics by using litigation as a complement to other forms of action.     

MEASURING LIMITS OF ARBITRAGE IN FIXED‐INCOME MARKETS

An emerging literature relies on an index of limits of arbitrage in fixed‐income markets. We analyze the benefits of an index that is model‐free, robust, and intuitive. This new index strengthens the evidence that limits of arbitrage proxy for risks priced in the cross‐section of returns. Trading simulations show that the new index improves identification of limits of arbitrage because it bypasses a noisy estimation step. Relative value indices in the United States, United Kingdom, Japan, Germany, Italy, France, Switzerland, and Canada exhibit strong commonality and high correlations with local volatility and funding conditions. The indices are updated regularly and available publicly.     

Work,employment and engagement conditions in a female‐dominated public service occupation after restructuring/outsourcing

Most research on the phenomenon of public service restructuring/outsourcing focuses on lower skilled work in peripheral activities and typically provides an overview of effects on work, employment and employment relations. Through an in‐depth case study of probation, the intention of this article is to explore professional worker experiences of the restructuring/outsourcing of a core public service activity where the workforce is female dominated. The article highlights three dimensions of job quality that all suffered deterioration—work, employment and engagement. The case of probation adds to evidence demonstrating that employees experience adverse effects even though transfer regulations and union agreements supposedly protect workers. Probation also stands as an exemplar of impoverishment processes in a female‐dominated occupation which reinforces the view that public services can no longer be relied upon to provide high‐quality jobs for highly qualified women.     

Building multivariate Sato models with linear dependence

The increased trading in multi-name financial products has required the development of state-of-the-art multivariate models. These models should be computationally tractable and, at the same time, flexible enough to explain the stylized facts of asset log-returns and of their dependence structure. The popular class of multivariate Lévy models provides a variety of tractable models, but suffers from one major shortcoming: Lévy models can replicate single-name derivative prices for a given time-to-maturity, but not for the whole range of quoted strikes and maturities, especially during periods of market turmoil. Moreover, there is a significant discrepancy between the moment term structure of Lévy models and the one observed in the market. Sato processes on the other hand exhibit a moment term structure that is more in line with empirical evidence and allow for a better replication of single-name option price surfaces. In this paper, we propose a general framework for multivariate models characterized by independent and time-inhomogeneous increments, where the asset log-return processes at unit time are modeled as linear combinations of independent self-decomposable random variables, where at least one self-decomposable random variable is shared by all the assets. As examples, we consider two general subclasses within this new framework, where we assume a normal variance-mean mixture with a one-sided tempered stable mixing density or a difference of one-sided tempered stable laws for the distribution of the risk factors. Particular attention is given to the models' ability to explain the asset dependence structure. A numerical study reveals the advantages of these new types of models.