We estimate the effect of active labour-market programmes on the exit rate to regular employment for non-western immigrants in Denmark who receive social assistance. We use the timing-of-events duration model and rich administrative data. We find large positive post-programme effects, and,...

We study optimal hedging design for returns on an Italian equity mutual fund index since 2008. Alternative hedging instruments include one-month futures contracts for FTSE-MIB, FTSE100 and Xetra DAX. We use bivariate models of our Italian equity mutual fund index and each hedging instrument to...

This paper presents a study of Artificial Neural Network (ANN) and Bayesian Network (BN) for use in stock index prediction. The data from Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) market are applied as a case study. Based on the rescaled range analysis, the neural network was used to capture the...

Some researchers, for example, Koop [1], and Sims [2], have advocated for Bayesian alternatives to unit-root testing over the classical approach using the augmented Dickey-Fuller test (ADF). This paper studies the power of what Koop [1] has called the Objectiveʺ Bayesian approach to unit-root...

This paper introduces a new parametric measure of productivity change using the hyperbolic distance function. More specifically, the paper first estimates a stochastic translog hyperbolic distance function, which satisfies regularity conditions, using the Bayesian approach. Then it derives an...

This work analyzes the use of the train by the Galician companies when they do business transactions with northern Portuguese operators. The residual usage of this infrastructure (0.01 of all the transactions) is proved opposite the masive use of the truck; factors that explain the choice and...

This paper presents the results of a three-year evaluation performed on the first cohorts of Chile Solidario, the most important anti-poverty program in Chile. The paper presents a description of the program, emphasizing the mechanism by which people were admitted into the program. We then...

This paper evaluates the effect of an anti-poverty program, Chile Solidario, during its first two years of operation. We find that the program tends to increases significantly their take-up of cash assistance programs and of social programs for housing and employment, and to improve education...

This paper codifies in a systematic and transparent way a historical chronology of business cycle turning points for Spain reaching back to 1850 at annual frequency, and 1939 at monthly frequency. Such an exercise would be incomplete without assessing the new chronology itself and against...

This study estimates the impact of migrants’ remittances on households’ spending decisions in Ecuador. Applying both parametric and semiparametric techniques, we find strong evidence that remittances enhance expenditures on education, health, and housing, but decrease expenditures on food....