Demand system estimation in the absence of price data: an application of Stone-Lewbel price indices

This article evaluates the feasibility of estimating a system of demand equations in the absence of price information using the approach developed by Lewbel (1989). Stone-Lewbel (SL) price indices for commodity groups are constructed using information on the budget shares and the Consumer Price Indices (CPIs) of the goods comprising the commodity groups, which allows for household-level prices to be recovered. This study evaluates how susceptible are elasticities and marginal effects estimates from traditional parametric demand systems to the CPI used in the construction of the SL prices. To do this, three alternative regional CPIs are considered for the construction of the SL prices: monthly, quarterly and a constant (unity) price index. Elasticities and marginal effect estimates are computed for eight food commodity groups using the Exact Affine Stone Index (EASI) model as the parametric demand system and data from the United States Consumer Expenditure Survey. The estimates proved to be robust to the alternative regional CPIs considered in the construction of SL price indices, even to the absence of one. Hence, the results suggest that it is possible to accurately estimate a demand system even in the absence of price information.     

Budget Allocation Patterns of U.S. Households across Income Levels in the 21st Century

This study examined the budget allocation patterns of U.S. households during the period 2000–2015. Four household groups—classified based on their income levels in relation to the federal poverty level—are used for the analyses. Data from the quarterly interview component of the BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey were used in order to calculate households' annual expenditures in eight commodity groups: food, utilities, apparel and apparel services, transportation, medical care, shelter and household operations, other nondurable expenditures and services, and durable goods. An exact affine stone index (EASI) demand system was used to estimate demand relationships (i.e., price, income elasticities, and marginal effects). Overall, we find that budget allocation, consumers' responses to changes in prices and income, and the effects of sociodemographic characteristics on spending can be markedly different between income groups. The use of a representative or average household for demand analyses can mask substantial differences in economic behaviors between these four income groups.     

A Dynamic Approach to Estimating and Testing Separability in U.S. Demand for Imported and Domestic Meats

The paper develops dynamic model of demand for domestic and imported meats and compares the performance of the dynamic model called the general AIDS error correction model (GAECM) with the static linear approximate almost ideal demand system (LA/AIDS) model. A test for separability is developed based on the long‐run solution to the dynamic model. The results indicate rejection of the static model in favor of the dynamic model. Homogeneity and symmetry are shown to hold for the dynamic model but are strongly rejected for the static model. Finally, separability between domestic and imported meats is rejected for all models at the 5% level of significance. However, the results of the dynamic model based on the corrected likelihood test with a low p‐value (p= 0.038) indicate that rejection of separability is borderline. Le présent article porte sur l'élaboration d'un modèle dynamique de la demande de viandes produites au pays et de viandes importées, et compare la performance du modèle dynamique appelé modèle général de correction d'erreur AIDS avec le modèle statique LA/AIDS. Un test de séparabilité est élaboré d'après la solution à long terme du modèle dynamique. Les résultats indiquent le rejet du modèle statique en faveur du modèle dynamique. L'homogénéité et la symétrie sont valables pour le modèle dynamique, mais sont fortement rejetées dans le cas du modèle statique. Finalement, la séparabilité entre les viandes produites au pays et les viandes importées est rejetée pour tous les modèles à un seuil de signification de 5 p. 100. Cependant, les résultats du modèle dynamique, fondés sur la correction du test du rapport des vraisemblances avec une faible valeur p (p = 0,038), indiquent que le rejet de la séparabilité se situe à la limite.