EMPIRICAL STUDIES OF GASOLINE RETAILING: A GUIDE TO THE LITERATURE

Abstract This paper surveys the empirical literature on gasoline retailing, which has been growing rapidly over the last three decades, possibly in response to antitrust and regulatory concerns and increased availability of pricing data. Studies of both pricing and non‐price decision variables are considered. In general, it is found that crude oil prices are the primary driver of national price movements over time. However, market structure has been identified as playing a role in price dynamics, equilibrium selection and price differentials across markets and stations. The economic literature emphasizes the importance of heterogeneity across stations and coordination problems faced by retailers. Several directions for future work are suggested, including the development of theory and demand estimation using high‐frequency station level data.     

从资产负债表角度考察人口结构的宏观含义

中国人口红利趋于弱化的主要影响是低利率格局将逐步发生改变,从而提高负债方融资的整体成本,这反过来将对资产方投资配置产生冲击。为此,本文从国家资产负债表的角度考察人口结构变迁的宏观含义,人口红利趋于消失意味着融资杠杆能力的弱化以及投资效率的降低,这将导致一个经济体合适的、可持续的潜在增长率逐步呈现下行态势。人口结构对国家资产负债表的冲击也限制了政策的腾挪空间,经济增长中枢速度的平稳回落以及通货膨胀中枢水平的上升,意味着决策者如果以低物价和高增长组合作为政策目标,将可能导致紧缩过度或刺激过度。     

国家调控土地价格的国际经验及启示

国土资源部中国土地勘测规划院近日公布了2013年第一季度全国城市地价监测数据,数据显示,一线城市住宅地价全部环比上涨,二线城市中除哈尔滨外全部上涨,三线城市上涨的占81.15%。专家称货币宽松和流动性释放推动地价上涨,房地产开发用地供地面积同比增幅超过45%,目前我国房地产市场调控仍处于关键时期,调控土地价格势在必行。本文归纳总结了目前我国土地价格上涨情况,收集整理了国外部分国家调控土地价格的经验做法,提出了抑制我国土地价格上涨的建议。     

物价上涨对不同收入群体消费支出的影响分析——以广东省为例

为了考察物价上涨对居民生活的影响,本文以广东省为例,从短期和长期两个方面对不同收入层城镇居民的消费支出变动情况进行了实证分析。结果表明,从短期看,物价上涨使城镇不同收入层居民的消费支出出现不同程度的增加,但低收入层居民消费性支出的增长幅度最大,普遍高于其他收入层居民。从长期看,物价上涨对城镇不同收入层居民消费支出的影响方向和程度不尽相同,其中使低收入户、中低收入户和高收入户的支出增加,而使中等收入户和中高收入户的支出减少。但是,无论是从长期还是从短期看,物价上涨对低收入户的影响最大,其消费性支出的增长幅度均高于其他收入群体的支出增长幅度。     

"货币幻觉"与房价虚涨实涨——质疑"房价虚涨论"

在房价不断上涨的现象面前,房价上涨源于货币幻觉的观点具有一定影响。通过对房价上涨是虚涨还是实涨的分析,从而说明房价虚涨论的片面性。实际情况是,货币幻觉对房价上涨的影响是短暂的;收入的增长幅度低于房价的上涨幅度等因素,决定了房价是实涨而非虚涨。房价虚涨论的危害在于,如果房价上涨被房价虚涨论所误导,将会影响政府抑制房价过快上涨政策措施的制定和实施,也将对居民的住房投资和消费产生负面影响。     

Measuring Productivity from Vertically Integrated Sectors

There are many ways to measure productivity. The choice will depend on the suitability of each index to the main purpose the researcher has in mind. Whenever we are interested in 'competitiveness', the proper measure will be the inverse of the total labour embodied in one unit of final product; or, what amounts to the same, the labour employed in the vertically integrated sector corresponding to each final good. A weighted mean of these yields an index of aggregate productivity suitable for measuring social welfare. Another index of aggregate productivity (this one related to the profit rate and potential growth) coincides with the inverse of the maximum eigenvalue of the 'socio-technical matrix'. These indices are computed for the Spanish economy and compared with more conventional ones.     

Pricing Dynamic Insurance Risks Using the Principle of Equivalent Utility

We introduce an expected utility approach to price insurance risks in a dynamic financial market setting. The valuation method is based on comparing the maximal expected utility functions with and without incorporating the insurance product, as in the classical principle of equivalent utility. The pricing mechanism relies heavily on risk preferences and yields two reservation prices - one each for the underwriter and buyer of the contract. The framework is rather general and applies to a number of applications that we extensively analyze.     

股权分置改革：现状、问题与建议

对由于历史的原因所形成的我国上市公司的股权分置进行改革就是要清除国有股、法人股流通屏障,赋予其流通权。股权分置改革是我国证券市场的深刻革命,是国有企业体制改革的深化与延伸。本文就我国目前股改的形势,股权分置改革的性质、意义及影响进行分析,并提出了完善股改的十项政策建议。     

Entry and Prices: Evidence from the Supermarket Sector

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effect on prices of the entry of a large supermarket into a given location. We use a panel with data from fifteen cities in Chile for the period 1998:I–2004:IV. We correct for the potential simultaneity problem derived from the fact that entry can be a response to price differentials. We find that the entry of a hypermarket to a given city reduces relative prices in that local market by 7–11%. Most interestingly, we also find that part of this effect takes place the year before the supermarket actually opens for business.