This paper estimates a medium-scale open economy DSGE model for Germany and the rest of the Euro Area (REA). The parameter estimates indicate that there is a modest degree of structural heterogeneity between Germany and the rest of the Euro Area. In particular, (i) the private sector in Germany...

I investigate how political uncertainty influences corporate investment decisions employing a unique panel dataset of German manufacturing firms. I use data on firms' self-reported investment realizations, plans and revisions. The firm-specific user cost of capital captures the current...

Using microdata that serve as the foundation of the ifo Business Climate Index, Germany's leading business cycle indicator, I examine whether political uncertainty influences how firm owners perceive their present state and future development of business. I use state election months as...

We analyze the most important drivers of the recent rise in overall German wage dispersion and pin down the relative contribution of central establishment and worker characteristics. Moreover, we separately investigate the drivers of between as well as within establishment wage dispersion. Using...

In this paper we try to provide an overview of a series of simple descriptive facts on recent trends in economic inequality in Germany. We believe that it is important to be precise in the way in which we define the inequality measure and the sample we use, to avoid generating vague messages...

Do we have effective competition between the gasoline's big five oligopolists (Aral, Shell, Esso, Total and Jet) and fringe gasoline stations? Using 2014 Market Transparency price data from 66 cities with populations between 60,000 and 100,000, we analyze which brands lead price increases, the...

This paper uses information on export transactions by German firms from 2011 to document the role of characteristics of destination countries for export scope, where export scope is defined as the number of different products a firm exports to a destination market. It demonstrates that in line...

Based on high-quality skill data from PIAAC, this paper provides evidence on the effect of schooling on labor-market relevant cognitive skills. For identification, I exploit the staggered introduction of a compulsory ninth grade in basic track schools across German states, as well as a...

This note uses the newly available Exporter and Importer Dynamics Database for Germany to investigate the links between trade dynamics and trade costs. It shows results for the dynamics of Germany’s goods trade as a whole, and for trade with two of the most important partner countries, namely...

This paper uses information on more than 160 million export and import transactions by German firms from 2009 to 2012 to document the decisive role of multi-market traders that are active on many foreign markets, where a market is defined as a combination of a good traded and a country traded...