The paper provides an introduction to essays published in this volume, which focus on nominal and real convergence in transition countries. The paper is based on the idea that the process of convergence can, to a large extent, be viewed via developments in real exchange rates. Key issues...

Czech economy has recently accelerated the real economic convergence to the European average. Nevertheless, in terms of price convergence the Czech economy is still lagging behind the expected dynamics, which should theoretically respond to the pace of relative economic growth. This asymmetry...

The exchange rate cannot significantly diverge from a (real) long-term equilibrium level consistent with the macroeconomic picture of an economy for a long period of time; otherwise, the economy suffers from macroeconomic imbalances such as below-potential growth and below natural employment, or...

This paper begins with a description of simple select models of inflation and their ability to fit the data. The paper in turn measures the stability of particular parsimonious models. One-step forecast tests are applied, which establish the instability of the money demand model compared with...

Monthly and yearly inflation rates can be understood as rates of dynamics of the basic inflation indicator i.e. the consumer price index. These indicators modify the original inflation information. It is important to analyze the difference of the consumer price index, monthly and yearly...

The study deals with the Czech competitiveness development and is oriented on selected aspects. It starts with basic characteristics of competitiveness and continues on the analysis of quantitative indicators:- Real Effective Exchange Rate - Kilogramme Export, Import Prices - Export Structure...

A number of authors have used the concept of an optimum currency area (or OCA) index to assess the relative proximity of various pairs of economies to the ideal of an optimum currency area. Alas, a significant deficiency of this approach as used so far is that it provides no room for long-term...

This paper wants to give a basic overview of arguments for and against of using the financial derivatives tools in the field of foreign exchange risk management. The case study shows, how the separate hedging instruments have impact on P & L statement. This paper discusses different relationship...

Czech Abstract: Článek s užitím teorie optimálních měnových oblastí (OCA) zkoumá, které z nových členských zemí EU jsou vhodným kandidátem přijetí jednotné měny euro. K posouzení vhodnosti přijetí jednotné měny je užit index optimální měnové oblasti. Index je pro...

The paper discusses the phenomenon of long-term real equilibrium appreciation of the koruna in the context of economic, i.e. nominal and real convergence. The real appreciation can take place either through a nominal exchange rate channel or through inflation differential channel vis-á-vis the...