中国的对外贸易盈余失控了吗——来自中国1995年1月到2007年10月月度贸易数据的证据

本文以中国1995年1月~2007年10月月度进出口贸易数据为样本,依据理论模型的推导,采用较简洁的Engle&Granger协整关系方法论,对全样本和以2001年12月为界的两个子样本:1995年1月~2001年11月与2001年12月~2007年10月分别进行了协整检验,且对两个子样本在协整回归的基础上建立了误差修正模型(ECM)。我们得出如下结论:无论对于全样本还是两个子样本,我们发现中国月度出口和进口之间的协整关系都是存在的。中国的贸易盈余并没有失控,经常账户的跨期预算约束并没有被违反。     

Environmental Taxation and Vertical Cournot Oligopolies: How Eco-industries Matter

This article specifies what an optimal pollution tax should be when dealing with a vertical Cournot oligopoly. Polluting firms sell final goods to consumers and outsource their abatement activities to an environment industry. It is assumed that both markets are imperfectly competitive. Thus, the tax is a single instrument used to regulate three sorts of distortions, one negative externality and two restrictions in production. Consequently, the optimal tax rate is the result of a trade-off that depends on the firms’ market power along the vertical structure. A detailed analysis of Cournot-Nash equilibria in both markets is also performed. In this context, the efficiency of abatement activities plays a key-role. It gives a new understanding to the necessary conditions for the emergence of an eco-industrial sector.      

Competition Policy: What are the Costs and Benefits of Measuring its Costs and Benefits?

Summary  Competition authorities are increasingly measuring the effects of their enforcement actions, seeking a robust justification for the proliferation of competition policy. We highlight the importance of identifying the right counterfactual against which to measure effects, and set out the relevant categories of costs and benefits. We then explore how a balance can be struck between the benefits and inherent limitations of these measurement exercises. Relatively crude analyses of cartel action benefits can be sufficient to achieve public legitimacy for competition policy. Assessing the effects of merger and conduct inquiries is often ambiguous, but could be used to improve decision-making processes. Director and Managing Consultant, respectively, at Oxera, Oxford and London. The valuable comments of Fod Barnes, Kerry Hughes and an anonymous referee are gratefully acknowledged. The opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors alone.     

Tourism as an alternative source of regional growth in Portugal: a panel data analysis at NUTS II and III levels

The role of tourism is of vital economic importance, particularly for small countries with a privileged geographical location and favourable weather conditions. This paper examines the importance of tourism as a conditioning factor for higher regional growth in Portugal by employing the conditional convergence hypothesis of Barro and Sala-i-Martin, associated with the endogenous growth theory. The panel data estimation approach provides evidence of the positive impact of tourism (through the accommodation capacity) on the growth in per-capita income among the Portuguese regions, increasing the rate of convergence. Therefore, tourism can be considered as an alternative source for stimulating higher regional growth in Portugal, if the supply characteristics of this sector are improved.     

Budget deficits and real interest rates: Updated empirical evidence on causality

Using error-correction model (ECM) estimation, the paper empirically examines the causality relationship between the federal government budget deficit and the ex ante real interest rate yield on high grade long term tax free municipal bonds in the U.S. To clarify this deficit or interest rate relationship, the budget deficit is measured by the primary budget deficit, which excludes net interest payments by the Treasury. In a model that includes federal personal income tax rates and net international capital flows, as well as money supply growth, the ECM estimates strongly suggest a bi-directional relationship between the primary budget deficit and the ex ante real interest rate yield. Budget deficits apparently do matter! William Simon's concerns were justified.The author is indebted to P. A. V. B. Swamy for ideas and helpful suggestions and Will Perry for data assembly and processing.     

打造招商新品牌

2003年9月8日下午,在第七届中国投资贸易洽谈会的举办地——厦门国际会展中心,山东省举办了“山东半岛制造业基地”新闻发布会,第一次正式向社会推出“半岛制造”这个品牌。 投洽会是由国家商务部主办的、目前国内惟一的全国性投资促进活动。参     

景新海：“洋海归”圆了软件梦

2003年10月19日,在大洋彼岸的加拿大里贾纳大学,代表该校最高荣誉的“荣誉法学博士”学位被授予了一位中国人。这是加拿大里贾纳大学继中国国家领导人万里、乔石之后,第三次将此荣誉授予中国大陆人士。 这个人就是中创软件公司董事长兼总裁景新海。     

杠杆融资项目净现值计算方法的比较与分析

负债融资具有杠杆效应,有节税收益。计算杠杆融资项目的净现值,如仍按全权益融资项目的方法计算,其结果会有所不同,直接影响投资决策的正确性。本文介绍三种西方常用的杠杆融资项目的净现值计算方法,并对其适用条件进行比较和分析。