Contagion in the stock markets: The Asian financial crisis revisited

This paper presents empirical evidence of herding contagion in the stock markets during the 1997 Asian financial crisis, above and beyond macroeconomic fundamental driven co-movements. We analyze the cross-country time-varying correlation coefficients among the stock prices for the countries of Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Korea, and the Philippines, between crisis and tranquil periods. Macromodels are constructed and implemented to capture the pure contagion effects on the markets. After controlling for the economic fundamentals for the five countries, the paper finds strong evidence of herding contagion.     

The limited role of small stock exchanges in economic development: A case study of Mozambique and Swaziland

The establishment of a successful stock market in a developing economy can provide a major source of development finance, both channelling domestic savings and attracting foreign investment. But small markets generally fail. Two micro-markets, Mozambique and Swaziland, provide an interesting case study to examine the features of new markets in sub-Saharan Africa that differ in a number of ways, including colonial legacy, membership of the Common Monetary Area and the dynamics of the political economy that defines the links between the citizens, the local elite and the state. In both countries, the operational aspects of the stock exchange are clearly inadequate as a means of promoting international investment. Thus, gains from regional integration initiatives or foreign investment are unlikely, as the market's small size and incomplete institutions currently offer limited potential for either domestic or international risk diversification. However, the political economy in both countries is the real barrier to growth.     

Operations of a Pension Fund after the Asian Crisis: The Thai Experience*

During and after the Asian crisis, institutional investors and pension funds in Asian financial markets have been confronted with a number of difficulties effecting their performance and the way they carry out their role within the national pension system. We analyze these problems by comparing the actual investment policy of an institutional investor with an optimal investment strategy derived from the insights of modern portfolio theory. We also analyze whether the organizational set‐up of a pension fund allows it to adequately perform its role within the pension system. As an example, we examine the operations of the Thai Government Pension Fund (GPF). We find that allowing international investments and reducing restrictions on equity investments while lowering the implicit requirements for investments in government debt would allow the GPF to further diversify its investment risk and to increase its risk‐adjusted return. We also show that some changes in the governance structure of the GPF would lower the occurrence of conflicts of interest for the management and increase the efficiency of the GPF operations.     

The impact of banks' statewide economic power on their political power: An empirical analysis

Conclusions The empirical evidence presented in this paper supports the hypothesis that the level of banking concentration does not have a significant impact on banks' political influence. This average bank size appears to be negatively related lated to political power within the state.Because of the difficulties of defining and measuring political and economic power, the conclusions presented here should be considered to be tentative. However, the results do demonstrate the need for further research in this area.     

Estimating the costs and benefits of EMU: The impact of external shocks on labour markets

Estimating the Costs and Benefits of EMU: The Impact of External Shocks on Labour Markets. — Discussions of costs and benefits of EMU usually rely on the optimum currency area approach: when external shocks hit the economy, it is easier to adjust the exchange rate than domestic prices or wages. We find that external shocks have little impact on unemployment, but are more important to manufacturing employment. Taking into account potential shock absorbers (exchange rates, fiscal and monetary policy) leaves results unchanged. By contrast, internal shocks, strongly influence (un)employment. The loss of the exchange rate instrument will not lead to massive unemployment after external shocks.     

A dynamic analysis of the impact of uncertainty on import- and/or export-led growth: The experience of Japan and the Asian Tigers

Increasing integration of the Asian Tigers with the world economy through trade has exposed their income and trade to greater uncertainty and volatility. This paper models uncertainty in trade and income and re-examines the stability of the trade-growth nexus for Japan and the Asian Tigers in a dynamic framework. We find that in a volatile environment Japan's GDP growth is only import-led while Hong Kong's GDP growth is both export and import growth-led. On the other hand, incorporating uncertainty breaks the causal link between Korea's GDP growth and trade but it does not affect Taiwan's mutually causative relationship between GDP growth, with exports and imports. Lastly, the varied qualitative and quantitative impact of volatility in imports and exports on income growth among the Asian Tigers provides further thought for policy making.     

城乡预防保健服务需求差异及其影响因素:基于中国跨省数据的实证分析

本文采用中国健康与营养调查(CHNS)数据分析2004-2006年间城乡预防保健服务需求状况及其影响因素,以此提出缩小城乡之间与城乡内部预防保健服务差异的政策建议。考虑样本选择性与医疗保险内生性问题,运用probit估计方法,发现城乡居民的预防保健服务需求存在显著差异,但两者差距呈缩小态势;同时,相较于农村内部,城市内部差异更趋于扩大。影响居民的预防保健服务的需求因素中,除预防保健服务费用是否由医疗保险支付这一因素外,在农村主要是供给方因素,如农村的医疗资源供给水平,在城市主要是需求方因素,如个人收入。     

外商直接投资对我国产业结构影响的实证分析——基于面板数据模型的研究

本文运用面板数据模型对1984-2003年间我国合同利用外资额和三次产业工业增加值之间的关系进行研究,发现外商直接投资对三次产业工业增加值的提高都具有正效应.再通过Cllow突变检验,发现1992年前后外商直接投资对第一、三产业工业增加值提高的影响显著不同,对第二产业工业增加值提高的影响则相同.通过进一步分析,本文又发现我国外商直接投资的产业结构分布严重偏斜加重了我国产业结构的偏斜.因此,我们提出我国应该积极利用外资政策,加大外商投资的领域,加快我国产业结构的优化升级.     

要素价格变化如何影响研发强度——基于地区研发强度分解数据的实证研究

本文主要从中国经济发展和资本深化背景下工业企业研发投入依然乏力这一基本问题出发,从中国要素市场存在的价格扭曲入手分析了劳动力价格相对资本价格的低估对于地区工业部门研发投入所产生的影响,并通过对地区工业研发强度指标的分解,从产业结构与产业链层级两方面检验了要素市场价格扭曲对地区工业研发强度所产生的影响。结果表明,中国经济中普遍存在着劳动力价格低估的要素价格负向扭曲,这种扭曲的存在不仅阻碍了地区产业结构与产业链层级的升级调整,同时也弱化了要素禀赋结构变化所引发的资本深化对于产业结构与产业链层级的促进效果,是导致中国工业企业的R&D投入强度并未呈现出与资本深化相一致的增强趋势的重要制度根源。