Estimating exchange rate dynamics with diffusion processes: an application to Greek EMU data

Recently various exchange rate models capturing the dynamics during the transition from an exchange rate arrangement of floating rates into a currency union have been derived. Technically, these stochastic equilibrium models are diffusion processes which have to be estimated by discretely sampled observations. Using daily exchange rate data prior to the Greek EMU-entrance on 1 January 2001, we develop a rigorous estimation procedure. Our estimates point to an increasing interventionist economic policy in the run-up to the Greek EMU entrance. A comparison of this econometric indication with policy information provided (ex-post) by the Bank of Greece (BoG) in its Annual Report 2000 reveals that the BoG indeed pursued such an active policy stance (so-called institutional frontloading strategies).      

实际汇率、工资和就业--对中国贸易部门和非贸易部门的实证研究

在同时考虑贸易部门和非贸易部门的情况下,实际汇率贬值会增加贸易部门就业,但会减少非贸易部门就业,对实际工资的影响则是不确定的.按照理论分析的结果,文章对人民币实际汇率和中国两部门实际工资及就业的关系进行协整检验,结果发现:人民币实际汇率贬值显著增加贸易部门就业,但非贸易部门就业对实际汇率变动不敏感,而两部门的实际工资和实际汇率之间则都没有协整关系存在.进一步检验发现实际汇率变动对就业在贸易和非贸易部门之间的结构也没有影响.总的结论认为,即使考虑到非贸易部门,人民币实际汇率升值对整个就业也是不利的,而贬值有利于整个就业.     

解读2005年中国国际收支平衡表

国际收支平衡表不仅综合记载了一国在一定时期内与世界各国的经济往来的情况和在世界经济中的地位及其消长对比情况,而且还集中反映了该国的经济类型和经济结构。2005年,中国的国际收支巨额顺差,具有鲜明特色.透过国际收支平衡表,可以发现中国国际收支的结构特征、问题所在,进而提出改进措施和政策建议。     

Domestic financial market frictions,unrestricted international capital flows,and crises in small open economies

Summary. We present an example of a small open economy where small increases in the world interest rate may induce a sharp decline in output and a precipitous depreciation of the exchange rate. Due to a costly state verification problem in domestic credit markets, combined with unrestricted international capital flows, our economy generates two long-run equilibria, one with low GDP and a relatively depreciated real exchange rate (RER), and one with high GDP and a relatively appreciated RER. The first is always a saddle, while the second may be a sink or a source, depending on the level of the world interest rate. A crisis is identified with the economy switching from an equilibrium path approaching the high-output steady state to the saddlepath approaching the low-output steady state. In Mexicos recent history, periods of growth associated with appreciation of the RER have alternated with periods of sharp contraction and depreciation of the RER. Our economy displays such behavior in response to changes in the world interest rate.Received: 9 April 2002, Revised: 20 March 2003JEL Classification Numbers: E5, F4.G. Antinolfi, E. Huybens: We thank Steve Fazzari, Tim Kehoe, Todd Keister, Manuel Santos, Karl Shell and especially Bruce Smith for very helpful discussions. Jaime Calleja Alderete, Eduardo Camero Godínez, and Juan Vargas Hernández provided excellent research assistance. All remaining errors are ours. Huybens was an assistant professor in the Centro de Investigación Económica, ITAM, at the time this article was written, and part of this work was completed while Antinolfi was a visiting scholar at the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. The views expressed herein are those of the authors, and do not reflect those of the World Bank or the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. Correspondence to: G. Antinolfi     

人民币走向自由兑换的时机选择

汇率制度的选择是一个动态的转换过程。我国目前采用的是钉住美元的汇率制度,这一汇率制度存在着明显弊端,已不适应我国市场经济发展的需要,我国经济的发展迫切需要人民币汇率由钉住汇率转向真正的管理浮动汇率。从现在起到未来的一两年内,是人民币走向浮动,实行人民币自由兑换的最佳时机。     

Can intertemporal choice experiments elicit time preferences for consumption?

The paper considers what can be inferred about experimental subjects’ time preferences for consumption from responses to laboratory tasks involving tradeoffs between sums of money at different dates, if subjects can reschedule consumption spending relative to income in external capital markets. It distinguishes three approaches identifiable in the literature: the straightforward view; the separation view; and the censored data view. It shows that none of these is fully satisfactory and discusses the resulting implications for intertemporal decision-making experiments. JEL Classification C90, C91, D90, D91, D11, D12     

阿根廷贸易政策与汇率制度的错配及启示

上世纪，阿根廷贸易政策与货币政策的错配导致了其宏观经济的不稳定。长期以来，阿根廷深受庇隆主义封闭政策的影响，实行进口替代战略，使其优者变劣，劣者不优。不仅使产业结构失衡，对外贸易长期处于逆差。同时，长期实行僵硬的固定汇率制度但允许资本自由流动，引发了恶性通货膨胀。长期的高消费、低储蓄与进口替代导致了低的资本积累率，政治家权利欲望只能以巨额的财政赤字与高筑外债来维持，当政权无以为继时又靠通货膨胀来掠夺财富，从而引发经济和政治危机的循环。另外，阿根廷在贸易自由化之前允许资本项目的自由化显然是一个严重的错误。     

Keynes, uncertainty and interest rates

Uncertainty plays an important role in The General Theory, particularlyin the theory of interest rates. Keynes did not provide a theoryof uncertainty, but he did make some enlightening remarks aboutthe direction he thought such a theory should take. I arguethat some modern innovations in the theory of probability allowus to build a theory which captures these Keynesian insights.If this is the right theory, however, uncertainty cannot carryits weight in Keynes's arguments. This does not mean that theconclusions of these arguments are necessarily mistaken; intheir best formulation they may succeed with merely an appealto risk.     

基于交换关系的薪酬解释

薪酬是雇佣双方进行交换的价值尺度。因此，从这种意义上讲，薪酬代表了雇佣双方基于雇佣合同的一种交换关系，这种交换关系可以从经济学、心理学、社会学、政治学等角度分别进行解释，薪酬交换关系的解释对企业建立薪酬制度有重要的现实指导意义。     

影响人民币汇率政策选择的因素--基于决策理论的实证分析

基于决策理论和实证分析方法,得出影响我国政府选择汇率政策的因素是:当前的宏观经济状况对人民币汇率政策的选择的确产生了重要的影响,而外汇储备的高速增长和经常账户余额的状况是2005年汇率政策改革的主要影响因素。因此,当前汇率政策改革是宏观经济形势影响政府效用的结果。