A REVISIT OF INTERNATIONAL STOCK MARKET LINKAGES: NEW EVIDENCE FROM RANK TESTS FOR NONLINEAR COINTEGRATION

Based on a theory proposed for the possible link between financial market integration and nonlinear cointegration, this study reinvestigates international stock market linkages by performing both conventional linear cointegration tests and newly developed rank tests for nonlinear cointegration. The stock price indexes of Australia, Japan, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States are used, with daily data spanning from 29 May 1992 to 10 April 2001. Much more evidence of market integration emerges from nonlinear than linear cointegration analysis, suggesting that comovements among various national stock markets may well take nonlinear forms. Our findings challenge the conclusion of market segmentation reached in some previous studies that only conducted linear cointegration analysis.     

我国地区间相对价格水平收敛性再检验——基于面板门限套利模型的经验研究

本文通过建立面板门限套利模型为地区间相对价格水平收敛的假说提供了理论支持,并为采用面板单位根检验进行收敛性检验提供了理论依据。在此基础上,本文通过测算国内地区间相对价格水平,放松了此前文献通常做出的基准年份各地价格水平相等的前提假设,并综合利用第一、二代面板单位根检验方法考察了1995—2010年我国地区间相对价格水平的收敛性。实证研究找到了较多收敛证据但也发现收敛半衰期较长,驳斥了国内市场分割愈演愈烈的判断,也承认了国内商品市场一体化进程尚未达理想程度的现实。此外,本文发现部分商品分类收敛性与其可贸易性有背离,并推测贸易性瑕疵与政策因素起了关键作用。     

Does fine wine price contain useful information to forecast GDP? Evidence from major developed countries

This study provides the first attempt to examine the ability of the price of fine wine to forecast the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) for the major developed countries. Considering the limitation of a linear Granger causality test in detecting nonlinear causal relationships, a nonlinear Granger causality test is also employed. The results from our nonlinear causality test show that this new variable contains useful information to forecast GDP for the US, the UK, and Australia, suggesting that we may include it as a forecasting variable in GDP forecasting models, especially nonlinear models, for these three countries.     

Ascending price Vickrey auctions

We show that an ascending price auction for multiple units of a homogeneous object proposed by Ausubel (i) raises prices for packages until they reach those nonlinear and non-anonymous market clearing prices at which bidders get their marginal products and (ii) the auction is a primal–dual algorithm applied to an appropriate linear programming formulation in which the dual solution yields those same market clearing prices. We emphasize the similarities with efficient incentive compatible ascending price auctions to implement Vickrey payments when there is a single object or when objects are heterogeneous but each buyer does not desire more than one unit. A potential benefit of these common threads is that it helps to establish the principles upon which Vickrey payments may be implemented through decentralized, incentive compatible procedures.     

On price convergence in Eurozone

We investigate price level convergence with Germany in eleven countries belonging to the Eurozone between January 1970 and July 2011. Relying on smooth transition regression models, we show that the price convergence process is nonlinear, depending on the size of the price differential: for most countries, price convergence occurs only when price differentials with Germany exceed a certain threshold. Moreover, our findings put forward some heterogeneity across the Eurozone members in terms of price convergence speed, that can be explained by the evolution of price-competitiveness, rigidities in labor markets, but also by specialization patterns.     

Competitive prices as optimal cartel prices

In a linear oligopoly model with antitrust enforcement, the optimal cartel price converges to the competitive equilibrium price. The set of sustainable cartel prices does not shrink to the competitive price. We identify necessary conditions for this counter-intuitive convergence result.     

Conditional price volatility,speculation, and excessive speculation in commodity markets: sheep or shepherd behaviour?

The present study aims to investigate the dynamics of primary commodity spot prices and the role of speculation for the period 1995–2012. Using a linear and nonlinear Granger causality analysis, the relationship between speculation and GARCH conditional price volatility on the one side, and the linkage between excessive speculation and GARCH conditional price volatility on the other side, is carefully examined with the scope to establish whether volatility drives speculation or speculation drives price volatility, or whether there are no linkages between the two variables. The results show that excessive speculation leads conditional price volatility, and that bilateral relationships often exist between price volatility and speculation. In addition, the lead-lag relationships are not found for the entire sample period, but rather when small sub-periods are taken into account. It turns out, in fact, that excessive speculation has driven price volatility for maize, rice, soybeans, and wheat in particular time frames, but the relationships are not always overlapping for all considered commodities. Generally, the results under linear causality tests are in agreement with those obtained under nonlinear counterparts.     

Mixed linear-nonlinear pricing with bundling

The practice of setting marginal prices below marginal costs is so common in telecommunications offerings that it can justifiably be labeled a stylized fact. In this paper, we present a stylized model that establishes conditions under which this practice is economically efficient and profit-maximizing. A multiproduct monopolist who sells some of his goods according to a nonlinear price schedule, while selling the remaining goods at linear prices, is said to use a mixed price structure. We develop a simple model to characterize welfare- and profit-maximizing mixed prices. It is shown that standard results obtained separately for linear and nonlinear prices do not hold when mixed prices are used. In particular, the marginal price facing the largest buyer can be above or below marginal cost. The result is shown to depend on whether the goods are substitutes or complements. Implications of these results for telecommunications prices are derived, and the intuition underlying our stylized fact is developed.     

Cointegration and detectable linear and nonlinear causality: analysis using the London Metal Exchange lead contract

This study applies linear and nonlinear Granger causality tests to examine the dynamic relation between London Metal Exchange (LME) cash prices and three possible predictors. The analysis uses matched quarterly inventory, UK Treasury bill interest rates, futures prices and cash prices for the commodity lead traded on the LME. The effects of cointegration on both linear and nonlinear Granger causality tests is also examined. When cointegration is not modelled, evidence is found of both linear and nonlinear causality between cash prices and analysed predictor variables. However, after controlling for cointegration, evidence of significant nonlinear causality is no longer found. These results contribute to the empirical literature on commodity price forecasting by highlighting the relationship between cointegration and detectable linear and nonlinear causality. The importance of interest rate and inventory as well as futures price in forecasting cash prices is also illustrated. Failure to detect significant nonlinearity after controlling for cointegration may also go some way to explaining the reason for the disappointing forecasting performances of many nonlinear models in the general finance literature. It may be that the variables are correct, but the functional form is overly complex and a standard VAR or VECM may often apply.     

Did the EMS encourage inflation convergence?

This paper studies the convergence of inflation rates over the period of 1983–93 for some countries within the European Monetary System. Three different price indices are considered for consumer goods, services, and industrial products. This study focuses on the difference between core and peripheral countries for measuring convergence speed. By using - and -convergence tools, as previously identified in studies on output growth convergence, it was found that the convergence process did not evolve equally whether considered through price indices, time, or countries.     

Price discrimination using linear and nonlinear pricing simultaneously

Price discrimination practiced by using linear and nonlinear pricing simultaneously raises the average price for heterogenous consumers paying linear price but lowers for homogeneous group who pay nonlinear price. Discrimination lowers consumer surplus for both groups but increases total surplus.     

Revisiting the Link Between Stock Prices and Goods Prices in OECD Countries

Fisher hypothesis postulates positive relation between stock return and inflation; however early studies document negative relationship between the two and they conclude that stock cannot be used as a hedge against inflation. In this paper we explore long‐run nonlinear relationship between stock price and goods price. Our sample consists of 19 OECD countries; all or some of these countries have been studied before with the findings of linear cointegration between the stock index and goods price index. Based on unit root tests and linear cointegration test, we apply threshold cointegration tests, Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) cointegration test and panel VAR method. With all these econometric methods we arrive at heterogeneous findings as follows: two countries have linear cointegration, five countries have threshold cointegration, nine countries do not have any cointegration and finally two countries provide inconclusive results. Estimates of Fisher coefficient provided by linear and nonlinear cointegration methods, which range between 1.27 and 1.86, are consistent with previous studies. Impulse response analysis from panel VAR for countries having no cointegrating relation shows that shock to inflation produces negative response in stock return, which supports findings of earlier studies.     

Nonlinearity and nonstationarity in international art market prices: evidence from Markov-switching ADF unit root tests

This study investigates the presence (or lack thereof) of nonlinear dynamics and nonstationarity in international art market prices using quarterly data for the period 1990–2011. We first test whether art market price indices follow stochastic trends or whether they are stationary by means of linear unit root tests. Next, we estimate the Markov regime-switching ADF model and test whether the linear or the nonlinear regime-switching model provides a better characterization of the global art market price series. We find that all art market price indices (except for Drawings) exhibit nonlinearity. To our knowledge, our study is the first one in the literature to suggest that a nonlinear (Markov regime-switching) model provides a better characterization of the behavior of price dynamics in international art markets. In particular, our findings indicate that the market for the overall global art market, paintings, old masters, sculptures, photographs, prints, and contemporary art might indeed be stationary while exhibiting nonlinear regime-switching properties. On the other hand, the market for drawings and the Nineteenth century art are found to be nonstationary. Overall, despite the common ground of a regime-switching framework, we still find that the sub-segments of the art market have their own inner regime switching dynamics and hence they can evolve differently overtime.     

Does the Reserve Bank of Australia follow a forward-looking nonlinear monetary policy rule?

ABSTRACT

The conventional monetary policy rule describes a simple linear relationship between the domestic interest rate, inflation rate and output gap. An important extension to this rule is to incorporate the forward-looking behaviour of central banks, where it is assumed that they target an expected level of inflation instead of its current realised value. Using quarterly observations for the period 1993:1-2018:2, this paper investigates whether the conduct of monetary policy in Australia can be described by a forward-looking linear monetary policy rule, or by a nonlinear forward-looking monetary policy rule. In particular, the nonlinear forward-looking monetary policy rule is analysed in a regime-switching framework using a smooth logistic transition regression model. While the results show that the conventional forward-looking linear monetary policy rule describes the application of monetary policy in Australia reasonably well, the interest rate setting behaviour of the RBA is best described by a nonlinear forward-looking monetary policy rule.     

The Law of One Price—A Case Study

We use retail transaction prices for a multinational retailer to examine the extent and permanence of violations of the law of one price. For identical products, we find typical deviations of 20–50 percent, with some evidence for convergence over time. Such differences might be due to differences in local costs. If so, relative prices of similar products (round versus square mirrors) should be equal across countries. In fact, relative prices vary significantly across very similar goods within a product group. The finding suggests that differences in local distribution costs, local taxes, and probably tariffs do not explain the price pattern, leaving strategic pricing or other factors resulting in varying markups as alternative explanations.
JEL classification : F 41; L 11     

The Global Financial Crisis and Stochastic Convergence in the Euro Area

This paper analyzes the issue of convergence in the original Euro Area countries, and assesses the effect of the global financial crisis on the process of convergence. In particular, we consider whether the global financial crisis pulled the 12 economies of the Euro Area together or pushed them apart. We investigate the dynamics of stochastic convergence of the original Euro Area countries for inflation rates, nominal interest rates, and real interest rates. We test for convergence relative to Germany, taken as the benchmark for core EU standards, using monthly data over the period January 2001 to September 2010. We examine, in a time-series framework, three different profiles of the convergence process: linear convergence, nonlinear convergence, and linear segmented convergence. Our findings both contradict and support convergence. Stochastic convergence implies the rejection of a unit root in the inflation rate, nominal interest rate, and real interest rate differentials. We find that the differentials are consistent with a unit-root hypothesis when the alternative hypothesis is a stationary process with a linear trend. We frequently, but not always, reject the unit-root hypothesis when the alternative is a stationary process with a broken trend. We also note that the current financial crisis plays a significant role in dating the breaks.     

The out-of-sample forecasting performance of nonlinear models of regional housing prices in the US

This article provides out-of-sample forecasts of linear and nonlinear models of US and four Census subregions’ housing prices. The forecasts include the traditional point forecasts, but also include interval and density forecasts, of the housing price distributions. The nonlinear smooth-transition autoregressive model outperforms the linear autoregressive model in point forecasts at longer horizons, but the linear autoregressive and nonlinear smooth-transition autoregressive models perform equally at short horizons. In addition, we generally do not find major differences in performance for the interval and density forecasts between the linear and nonlinear models. Finally, in a dynamic 25-step ex-ante and interval forecasting design, we, once again, do not find major differences between the linear and nonlinear models. In sum, we conclude that when forecasting regional housing prices in the United States, generally the additional costs associated with nonlinear forecasts outweigh the benefits for forecasts only a few months into the future.     

Convergence or divergence in cross-country growth?

In the traditional empirical convergence literature, a negative coefficient on initial income in a cross-country growth regression is interpreted as evidence of poor countries growing faster than richer ones. A key assumption in this work is that the relationship between initial income and income growth is linear. The linearity assumption is challenged in some new growth theories, and studies adopting an alternative (semi-parametric or nonlinear) econometric methodology provide support for a nonlinear specification. This paper finds evidence for nonlinear convergence. Using semi-parametric estimation we find that convergence occurs among countries with very low and very high initial incomes, suggesting that convergence clubs characterize the cross-country growth process. Our results provide further evidence for multiple-regime steady states.     

Convergence clustering in the Chinese provinces: New evidence from several macroeconomic indicators

In this paper, the convergence clustering in 31 Chinese provinces regarding several important economic indicators over the period 1952 to 2016 was empirically investigated. Several provincial clusters were identified in the per capita (real) gross domestic product (GDP), consumption–income ratio, retail price, and consumer price inflation rates, using a club convergence and clustering procedure. The empirical findings are as follows. First, it was found that all series of the original data contain a significant nonlinear component. Second, it was observed that there are five significant clusters for the per capita income in China. Third, it was found that there are four significant clusters for the consumption–income ratio. Fourth, it was observed that there are four significant clusters for the retail inflation rates and two significant clusters for the consumer inflation rates in China. These results will enable local and central planners to implement economic growth, savings and price adjustment policies for different groups of provinces.     

Asset price bubbles in Arrow-Debreu and sequential equilibrium

Summary. Price bubbles in an Arrow-Debreu equilibrium in an infinite-time economy are a manifestation of lack of countable additivity of valuation of assets. In contrast, the known examples of price bubbles in a sequential equilibrium in infinite time cannot be attributed to the lack of countable additivity of valuation. In this paper we develop a theory of valuation of assets in sequential markets (with no uncertainty) and study the nature of price bubbles in light of this theory. We define a payoff pricing operator that maps a sequence of payoffs to the minimum cost of an asset holding strategy that generates it. We show that the payoff pricing functional is linear and countably additive on the set of positive payoffs if and only if there is no Ponzi scheme, provided that there is no restriction on long positions in the assets. In the known examples of equilibrium price bubbles in sequential markets valuation is linear and countably additive. The presence of a price bubble means that the dividends of an asset can be purchased in sequential markets at a cost lower than the asset's price. We present further examples of equilibrium price bubbles in which valuation is nonlinear, or linear but not countably additive.