Nominal versus indexed debt: A quantitative horse race

The main arguments in favor and against nominal and indexed debts are the incentive to default through inflation versus hedging against unforeseen shocks. We model and calibrate these arguments to assess their quantitative importance. We use a dynamic equilibrium model with tax distortion, government outlays uncertainty, and contingent-debt service. Our framework also recognizes that contingent debt can be associated with incentive problems and lack of commitment. Thus, the benefits of unexpected inflation are tempered by higher interest rates. We obtain that costs from inflation more than offset the benefits from reducing tax distortions. We further discuss sustainability of nominal debt in developing (volatile) countries.     

The Impact of Managerial Entrenchment on Agency Costs: An Empirical Investigation Using UK Panel Data

This paper empirically investigates the relationship between managerial entrenchment and agency costs for a large sample of UK firms over the period 1999–2005. To measure managerial entrenchment, we use detailed information on ownership and board structures and managerial compensation. We develop a managerial entrenchment index, which captures the extent to which managers have the ability and incentives to expropriate wealth from shareholders. Our findings, which are based on a dynamic panel data analysis, show that there is a strong negative relationship between managerial entrenchment and our inverse proxy for agency costs, namely asset turnover ratio. There is also evidence that short‐term debt and dividend payments work as effective corporate governance devices for UK firms. Finally, our findings reveal that agency costs are persistent over time. The results are robust to a number of alternative specifications, including varying measures of managerial entrenchment and agency costs.     

央行冲销政策可持续性分析

新世纪以来,中国人民银行面对人民币升值和国内通货膨胀的压力,采取了以央行票据为主要手段的冲销政策。持续的央行票据发行,在部分实现政策目标的同时,也产生了高昂的成本,并可能威胁到其他货币政策目标的实现。在中美货币政策差异以及人民币汇率变动的情况下,随着央行票据发行规模和存量不断增加,央行票据冲销成本越来越高,2008年之后发行的央行票据已经接近或超过了可持续的界限。调整央行票据的期限结构,适度增加3年期以上的票据发行比重,积极培育多元化的冲销工具体系是摆脱对央行票据依赖的根本出路。     

对中国上市公司债务期限影响因素的实证研究——基于面板数据的因子分析和回归分析

国内外诸多学者已经开始从代理成本、税盾作用、信息不对称等角度来研究影响债务融资期限的各种因素。但综合各种因素来考察企业融资期限结构影响的研究却相对较弱。以中国546家A股的上市公司最近9年相关数据为样本,从企业规模、财务杠杆、债务税率、清算比率和资产期限等因素对企业融资期限结构的影响做因子分析和回归分析后,指出代理成本等理论对中国上市公司债务期限解释是有限的。     

试论文物保护工程中的造价管理与实践

随着国家经济和社会的不断发展,各地开展文物保护工程的项目不断增多,对文物保护工程的造价管理提出了更高要求.笔者发现长期以来对该领域的工程造价研究还不够,实际工作中经常引起造价争议,进而给确定工程造价合理化和市场化带来困扰.文章从文物古建筑、古墓葬、古遗址等保护工程出发,并结合国家文物局发布的《文物建筑保护工程预算定额(...     

Gasoline prices,transport costs,and the U.S. business cycles

The effects of gasoline prices on the U.S. business cycles are investigated. In order to distinguish between gasoline supply and gasoline demand shocks, the price of gasoline is endogenously determined through a transportation sector that uses gasoline as an input of production. The model is estimated for the U.S. economy using five macroeconomic time series, including data on transport costs and gasoline prices. The results show that although standard shocks in the literature (e.g., technology shocks, monetary policy shocks) have significant effects on the U.S. business cycles in the long run, gasoline supply and demand shocks play an important role in the short run.     

Liquidity and capital under uncertainty and changing market sentiment: A simple analysis

This study introduces a general approach to investigate resource allocation and asset prices in an economy with uncertainty and shifts in market sentiment. The approach presents a number of key features: first, it proposes a choice-theoretic model that determines the utility that the agents derive from holding assets with different liquidity. Second, it incorporates a variable (endogenously-determined) cost structure of asset liquidation, which reflects the (in)efficiencies of the financial infrastructure and changes in market moods. Third, it also incorporates a model of expectations formation under uncertainty and changing market sentiment. While rich in structure, the approach offers a simple analytical framework to investigate resource allocation decision and asset price dynamics under various sources of uncertainty, and to explore the micro-economics of speculative bubbles and boom–bust sequences. The use of a possible market-specific prudential policy tool is discussed.     

Expatriate-deployment levels and subsidiary growth: A temporal analysis

We investigated the relationship between expatriate-deployment levels and the growth of international subsidiaries over time. Latent-curve analysis revealed that higher subsidiary growth over the long term was achieved through both (a) a higher proportion of expatriates at subsidiary founding and (b) a slower reduction in the proportion of expatriates over time. These results suggest that the decision to reduce the proportion of expatriates due to cost considerations should be tempered with the potential long-term benefits of expatriates for improving subsidiary growth. Our results point to the importance of two factors that impact subsidiary changes over time: path dependence and dynamic adjustment costs.     

Análisis de costos y estrategias productivas en la lechería de pequeña escala en el periodo 2000–2012

An accounting analysis was performed on the evolution and performance of productive, economic and marketing strategies implemented by small-scale dairy farmers in the peri-urban area of Texcoco, Mexico. Economic and production records for 1 023 lactation were obtained in two periods, 2000 and 2012. The general cost methodology was used to establish the accounting structures of these production systems, and the re-adjustment of values financial methodology through calculating deflated values based on data from the Mexican National Index of Consumer Prices. Evidence is presented that farmers in Stratum I defined as strategies not hiring temporary or permanent labour, as well as independence in the purchase of inputs (this Stratum produces 90% of its inputs). Stratum II reduced 3 of the main 4 items of the total production cost (feeding, medicines and breeding) and increased the mean profit per litre of milk ($ 2.00 MXN) through selling strategies. Stratum III defined as their strategies increased productivity (59%), a reduction in the cost (29%) of the main input (feed) and taking advantage of their productive scale to obtain a higher receipt of revenues for the farm.     

Credit default swaps and the market for sovereign debt

In this paper, we analyze the determinants and effects of credit default swap (CDS) trading initiation in the sovereign bond market. CDS trading initiation is associated with a 30–150 basis point reduction in sovereign bond yields, with greater yield reductions accruing to higher default risk economies. For countries with high default risk, rated B or lower by Standard and Poor’s, CDS initiation is also associated with significant price efficiency benefits in the underlying market. CDS trading initiation is more likely following increases in local equity index volatility, index spreads for regional and global CDS markets, or depreciation of the local currency relative to the US dollar, and decreases in a country’s ability to service foreign debt. Our results are robust to selection bias controls based on these factors.