Return predictability and intertemporal asset allocation: Evidence from a bias-adjusted VAR model

Within a VAR based intertemporal asset allocation model we explore the effects on return predictability and optimal asset allocation of adjusting VAR parameter estimates for small-sample bias. We apply a simple and easy-to-use analytical bias formula instead of bootstrap or Monte Carlo bias-adjustment. Regarding return predictability we show that bias-adjustment in the multivariate setup can yield very different results than in the univariate case. Furthermore, bias-correcting the VAR parameters has both quantitatively and qualitatively important effects on the optimal portfolio choice. For intermediate values of risk-aversion, the intertemporal hedging demand for bonds and stocks is heavily affected by the bias-correction. Utility calculations also show large effects of bias-adjustment, both in-sample and out-of-sample.     

APPRENTICES AND YOUNG WORKERS: A STUDY OF THE NORWEGIAN YOUTH LABOUR MARKET

Apprenticeship programmes are in many countries important stepping stones into the labour market. However, recruitment of apprentices seems to follow the business cycle. This pattern may be caused by firms' contemporaneous demand for labour, but may also be consistent with an investment hypothesis. A model, in which the tightness in the labour market is taken into account, is tested on a sample of Norwegian quarterly firm‐specific data. The empirical findings give moderate support to an investment hypothesis. The apprentices substitute to some degree for skilled labour but are recruited primarily based on the labour market situation. The wage level plays a minor role for recruitment of apprentices.     

吞食电子商务？

"顾客分析方法、营销解决方案、硝售方案、客户支持解决方案、无缝界面……,这是一个非常复杂的前端作业世界",E.pphany的CEO Roger siboni这样说.     

人民币能否成为国际储备货币？

【美国《华尔街日报》5月14日】金融危机将美国经济拖入债务泥潭，短期内也看不到复苏的希望，在这样的情况下，有关终结美元作为国际储备货币地位的言论也甚嚣尘上。中国等持有大量美元储备的国家很明显对自己所持的美元可能贬值感到担心。中国央行行长周小川已经提出，创建基于特别提款权的新国际储备货币，并由国际货币基金组织（IMF）掌控。东南亚国家联盟（ASEAN，简称：东盟）和中日韩三国承诺建立1，200亿美元“清迈倡议”框架下的区域货币基金。“清迈倡议”很像是IMF的地方版。此外，人民币已经成为了新生的国际货币。香港和广东被宣称为人民币结算贸易的结算中心。中国已与阿根廷、印度尼西亚、白俄罗斯、韩国、马来西亚和香港达成总额人民币6，500亿元的货币互换协议，从而增强了人民币的国际地位。     

Windfall gains and stock market participation

We exploit the randomized assignment of lottery prizes in a large administrative Swedish data set to estimate the causal effect of wealth on stock market participation. A $150,000 windfall gain increases the stock market participation probability by 12 percentage points among prelottery nonparticipants but has no discernible effect on prelottery stock owners. A structural life cycle model significantly overpredicts entry rates even for very high entry costs (up to $31,000). Additional analyses implicate pessimistic beliefs regarding equity returns as a major source of this overprediction and suggest that both recent and early-life return realizations affect beliefs.     

FOCUS: Health Care as Business Introduction

One of the commonest complaints in Britain against the current National Health Service is that business and commercial values are being allowed, and even encouraged, to dominate the more humane values involved in caring for people in their weakness. What is the situation and where are the problems, and what can Britain learn from Germany and Holland? We are grateful to the distinguished author on business ethics and member of our Editorial Board, Professor Tom Sorell, for undertaking the production of this FOCUS section of the October Review on such a sensitive and topical issue.