Forecasting electricity prices with expert,linear, and nonlinear models

This paper compares several models for forecasting regional hourly day-ahead electricity prices, while accounting for fundamental drivers. Forecasts of demand, in-feed from renewable energy sources, fossil fuel prices, and physical flows are all included in linear and nonlinear specifications, ranging in the class of ARFIMA-GARCH models—hence including parsimonious autoregressive specifications (known as expert-type models). The results support the adoption of a simple structure that is able to adapt to market conditions. Indeed, we include forecasted demand, wind and solar power, actual generation from hydro, biomass, and waste, weighted imports, and traditional fossil fuels. The inclusion of these exogenous regressors, in both the conditional mean and variance equations, outperforms in point and, especially, in density forecasting when the superior set of models is considered. Indeed, using the model confidence set and considering northern Italian prices, predictions indicate the strong predictive power of regressors, in particular in an expert model augmented for GARCH-type time-varying volatility. Finally, we find that using professional and more timely predictions of consumption and renewable energy sources improves the forecast accuracy of electricity prices more than using predictions publicly available to researchers.     

Bridging Africa’s income inequality gap: How relevant is China’s outward FDI to Africa?

This study examines whether: (i) the remarkable inflow of Chinese FDI to Africa matters for bridging the continent’s marked income inequality gap, (ii) Africa’s institutional fabric is effective in propelling Chinese FDI towards the equalisation of incomes in Africa and (iii) there exist relevant thresholds required for the various governance dynamics to cause Chinese FDI to equalise incomes in Africa. Our results, which are based on the dynamic GMM estimator and macrodata for 48 African countries, reveal the following. First, although Chinese FDI contributes to fairer income distribution in Africa, the effect is weak. Second, although Africa’s institutional fabric matters for propelling Chinese FDI towards the equalisation of incomes across the continent, governance mechanisms for ensuring political stability, low corruption, and voice and accountability are critical. Finally, the critical masses required for these three key governance dynamics to cause Chinese FDI and other income inequality-reducing modules to reduce income inequality are 0.8, 0.5 and 0.1, respectively. These critical masses are thresholds at which governance is necessary but no longer sufficient to complement Chinese FDI to mitigate income inequality. Hence, at the attendant thresholds, complementary policies are worthwhile. Policy recommendations are provided in the conclusion.     

我国产业集群国际化的若干思考

近年来,从我国外商直接投资(FDI)结构来看,新一轮国际产业转移已经由劳动密集型向资金技术密集型行业发展,这一大背景将深刻影响我国产业集群国际化进程。从我国产业集群国际化的方式和特点入手,运用产业集群以及国家竞争优势等理论,对我国今后产业集群国际化发展3方面提出具体政策建议,包括提升分工地位,增加产品附加值;增强根植性,防止产业空洞化;努力发展国家竞争优势等。     

FDI与对外贸易互动发展的实证分析——以江苏省为例

进入21世纪以来,经济全球化的投资和贸易互动给世界贸易带来了巨大的推动力。以江苏省为例,分析了FDI与对外贸易的情况,构建了进出口贸易与外商直接投资的回归模型,在此基础上提出了促进江苏FDI与对外贸易互动发展的对策建议。     

跨国直接投资对东道国就业的影响

跨国直接投资在促进东道国经济发展的同时，在很大程度上对东道国的就业产生影响，特别是在发展中国家。论文分析了跨国直接投资对东道国就业的直接影响与间接影响，并对国内外学者的研究进行了阐述，最后，论文分析了该领域内存在的不足。     

试析外商直接投资对我国民族工业的控制

在去年3月4日召开的政协经济组联席会上,国家统计局前局长李德水做了题为《继续积极有效利用外资不断提高对外开放水平》的发言,直言对外资垄断性并购我国企业应保持足够关注。可见,外商直接投资对我国民族工业的控制倾向已初露端倪。为此,文中首先从产业、市场和品牌三方面分析了外商直接投资对我国民族工业的控制迹象;其次指出产生这种迹象的自身原因;最后针对原因提出一些建议。     

FDI与中国汽车业集中度实证研究:基于灰色关联分析

文章采用灰色关联分析的方法,对FDI与中国汽车业集中度的关系做了实证分析,结果表明二者呈较高的灰色关联度。这意味着伴随FDI的增多,汽车产业集中度呈上升趋势。然而,与汽车进口量、国内市场需求量、汽车整车厂数量这几个指标相比,FDI并不是影响产业集中度的主要因素,这种结果与政府的产业政策导向有关。最后,本文对如何利用FDI促进中国汽车业的发展提出政策建议。     

外商投资与中国经济发展──产业和区域分析证据

本文将有关外商直接投资影响的分析 ,与中国经济的特定发展模式联系起来 ,从中得出两项分析结果。一是在产业发展层面 ,外商投资确实有助于改进资源配置效率 ,然而这种贡献却是以妨碍生产效率改进为代价的 ;二是在区域发展层面 ,以进口替代加资本深化为特征的“上海模式” ,在促进地区和全国经济发展方面 ,确实优于以出口导向加劳动密集为特征的“广东模式” ,只是前一模式本身存在着严重的可持续性问题     

Capital Flows to Asia: The Role of Monetary Policy

Monetary policy played an important role in the Asian experience with capital inflows. Central banks used monetary policy to contain the threat of overheating, but the resulting increases in interest rates attracted additional inflows. Empirical measurement of these links shows that tight monetary policy was an important source of inflows to Indonesia and Thailand in recent years, and that the independence of monetary policy decreased during the inflow period.     

FDI对我国中部地区技术进步影响的实证研究

梳理了中部地区吸收利用FDI的现状和特征,计算出了中部的TFP(全要素生产率),并以此作为技术进步的衡量指标,构建VAR模型对FDI和TFP的相关性进行实证分析.结果表明,短期内FDI对中部地区的技术进步有一定的促进作用,但长期来看促进作用并不十分显著.中部地区在吸收利用FDI过程中要引导技术引进,加强自主创新;创造公平环境,扶持本土企业;鼓励中外合资,强化技术合作.