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.     

Demand,Supply, and Labor Market Analysis

Our previous research argued that interest payments on consumer debt should be subtracted from household income to measure poverty. We estimated 4 million additional poor Americans in 2007, calling them "debt poor." This paper finds that the debt poor are somewhat like the poor (they are unlikely to own a home or have private health insurance), somewhat like middle-class households (race), and in-between in other ways (education levels). Debt poor households were likely middle class once, having access to considerable consumer credit; but following a loss of income, their large debt burden put their living standard below their poverty threshold.     

Does COBRA reduce the probability that job separators return to work?

This study examines a decade of individual-level US employment and insurance information to investigate whether federally mandated Consolidated Omnibus Reconciliation Act (COBRA) regulation affects post-separation employment activity. The empirical approach addresses the possibility that COBRA enrollment is endogenous with respect to post-separation employment outcomes. The main finding is that, although COBRA enrollees are 5 percentage points less likely to become re-employed, this relationship is not causal. Rather, individuals with lower probabilities of becoming re-employed tend to enroll in COBRA. The reason appears to be because, when compared to subjects who voluntarily leave for other jobs, subjects who separate for other reasons not only are less likely to become re-employed, but they also are approximately 23% more likely to enroll in COBRA.     

Calculating the Candy Price Index: A Classroom Inflation Experiment

In this classroom experiment, students develop a price index based on candy-purchasing decisions made by members of their class. They use their index to practice calculating inflation rates and to consider the strengths and weaknesses of the consumer price index (CPI). Instructors can use the experiment as an introduction to the topic of inflation and how it is measured. The exercise also provides a concrete example of the sources of bias in the CPI, promoting discussion of the measures the Bureau of Labor Statistics has taken to reduce bias. The experiment, including follow-up discussion, fits into a 50-minute class period. The authors and other professors have used the exercise in introductory and intermediate macroeconomics courses, in classes of 10 to 135 students.     

公众预期、需求冲击与通货膨胀——兼论通胀持久性的地区差异

本文基于具有微观基础的混合式新凯恩斯菲利普斯曲线模型,利用1985-2009年的省际面板数据,分析了预期因素、需求冲击及产出缺口与通货膨胀之间的动态过程及其地区差异。研究发现：总体上,无论是适应性预期还是理性预期对当期通货膨胀都有较强的推动作用;作为需求冲击的居民消费支出、固定资本形成以及产出缺口对通货膨胀都具有正向拉动作用。从通货膨胀持久性的地区差异上看,西部地区的通胀持续性最长,中部最短。     

中国农村居民贫困测度研究——基于山西的调查分析

运用Atkinson（1987）单维贫困测量与Alkire和Foster（2008）多维贫困测量相结合的方法,对山西农村居民贫困情况进行了测度。实证结果表明：从单维视角看,山西农村贫困主要体现在饮用水、消费、收入三个方面,全省三个主要贫困区存在差异;从多维视角来看,山西省农村居民存在多维贫困现象,考虑的贫困维度越多,贫困程度越严重。东部太行山区与北部高寒冷凉区的饮用水问题也比较严重,北部高寒冷凉区相比其他两个地区其教育问题较为突出,北部高寒冷凉区与西部吕梁山区的住房问题也需要关注。因此,山西今后要从多维度识别和瞄准贫困,针对地区贫困特点予以扶持。     

城市家庭的经济条件、理财意识和投资借贷行为——来自全国24个城市的消费金融调查

消费金融调研是获得消费金融研究数据的一个重要途径。清华大学在2010年开展了面向全国城市居民家庭的消费金融调研。本文择要介绍了本次调研的一些成果,包括居民家庭的资产负债情况、家庭的收支状况、家庭的投资和借贷行为,以及家庭其他方面的理财意识和行为等。最后,根据调研结果对我国城市居民家庭金融的几个特点进行了总结。     

中国扶贫资金支出结构的动态减贫效果研究

文章从理论上总结扶贫资金支出对农村贫困的减贫效果,构建扶贫资金支出与农村贫困的理论分析框架,提出扶贫资金对农村贫困发生率、农村贫困深度、农村贫困强度具有正向减贫效果的研究假设,以宏观调查数据度量我国农村贫困程度,揭示我国农村贫困的变化趋势,并运用脉冲响应函数分析方法,对扶贫资金支出结构的动态减贫效果进行了分析,结果显示:扶贫专项贷款对农村贫困发生率具有正向减贫效果;以工代赈资金对农村贫困发生率、农村贫困深度以及农村贫困强度具有正向减贫效果;扶贫发展资金对农村贫困深度具有正向减贫效果,而扶贫专项贷款对农村贫困强度的冲击则显示出负向减贫效果;扶贫发展资金对农村贫困强度具有显著负效应。据此,文章提出改善扶贫资金支出结构的相关政策建议。     

城镇居民不同收入群体消费行为分析

按照家庭收入由低到高将城镇居民划分成四个收入群体,并应用带有家庭属性的AIDS模型分析每个收入群体的消费行为。研究结果表明,随着家庭收入的上升,城镇居民对于大多数商品消费的支出弹性和价格弹性呈下降趋势;城镇居民家庭用品和交通通讯消费富有支出弹性和价格弹性。因此,政府提高低收入群体的收入水平,通过财政政策使家庭用品和交通通讯商品的价格降低,可以有效地刺激城镇居民的消费。     

How Fat is the Top Tail of the Wealth Distribution?

Differential unit non‐response in household wealth surveys biases estimates of top tail wealth shares downward. Using Monte Carlo evidence, I show that adding only a few extreme observations to wealth surveys is sufficient to remove the downward bias. Combining extreme wealth observations from Forbes World's billionaires with the Survey of Consumer Finances, the Wealth and Assets Survey, and the Household Finance and Consumption Survey, I provide new improved estimates of top tail wealth in the United States, the United Kingdom, and nine euro area countries. These new estimates indicate significantly higher top wealth shares than those calculated from the wealth surveys alone.     

Did households’ time preference change due to the Great Recession?

Household time preference for US households, as measured by the planning horizon, was fairly stable for many years, but sharply changed with the onset of the Great Recession. Based on an analysis of a combination of the 1992–2013 Survey of Consumer Finances (SCF) datasets, time preference increased in 2010 and remained high in 2013, indicating households were less patient after the onset of the recession. This pattern held up even after controlling for household characteristics.     

政府公共支出结构对腐败的影响效应分析

政府公共支出结构是影响腐败的主要经济因素之一。本文建立腐败的客观衡量指标,采用固定效应模型,定量分析政府公共支出结构及政府支出规模、市场化程度、教育水平、工资水平以及经济发展水平等对腐败的影响,研究结果表明:减少寻租性支出、提高生产性支出对腐败有着显著的抑制作用,同时控制政府支出规模、提高私有化程度对反腐败也有显著正效应;提高人均收入水平和经济增长率对腐败存在着预期的负效应,但在统计上并不显著;教育水平和政府公务员相对工资的提高不利于反腐败,这与大多数实证分析的结果相反。     

Are survey expectations theory-consistent? The role of central bank communication and news

In this paper we analyze whether central bank communication can facilitate the understanding of key economic concepts. Using survey data for consumers and professionals, we calculate how many of them have expectations consistent with the Fisher Equation, the Taylor rule and the Phillips curve and test, by accounting for three different communication channels, whether central banks can influence those. A substantial share of participants has expectations consistent with the Fisher equation, followed by the Taylor rule and the Phillips curve. We show that having theory-consistent expectations is beneficial, as it improves the forecast accuracy. Furthermore, consistency is time varying. Exploring this time variation, we provide evidence that central bank communication as well as news on monetary policy can facilitate the understanding of those concepts and thereby improve the efficacy of monetary policy.     

财政支出及其结构的经济效应:国外研究评述

作为宏观经济调控的重要手段,财政支出及其结构的经济效应历来备受瞩目。近年来,该领域的研究文献众多,主要集中在财政支出及其结构对经济增长、居民消费、私人投资和收入分配的影响。本文回顾了从理论分析到实证研究的最新文献,发现上述四个方面的研究结论分歧甚至冲突明显,理论基础、研究方法和数据来源等方面的差异是造成结论分歧的主要原因。今后的财政支出及其结构经济效应研究应该更加关注作用机制、经济环境差异、非线性效应、微观视角和政治因素。