This paper re-examines the relationship between trade intensity and business cycle synchronization for 21 OECD countries during 1970-2003. Instead of using instrumental variables, we estimate a multivariate model including variables capturing specialisation, financial integration, and similarity...

This paper analyses the reforms in the architecture of EMU since the eruption of the euro crisis in 2010. We describe major weaknesses in the original set-up of EMU, such as lack of fiscal discipline, diverging financial cycles and competitiveness positions, and a lack of crisis instruments....

We develop multivariate measures of synchronicity and co-movement of business cycles. In addition to synchronicity, the co-movement measure takes differences between cycle amplitudes into account that have been overlooked in most previous studies. We apply the new measures to the euro area....

We analyse regional business cycle synchronization in the Euro Area, using Gross Value Added in 53 NUTS 1 regions for a period of thirty years (1975-2005), detrended by Hodrick-Prescott and the Christiano-Fitzgerald filters. We conclude that, on average, synchronization has increased for the...

We use rolling cointegration tests to investigate the relationship between the Renminbi daily future spot return and the forward discount rate for the period after the currency regime reform in China in July 2005. We find that there are different regimes after this reform and that the financial...

We examine whether bank earnings volatility depends on bank size and the degree of concentration in the banking sector. Using quarterly data for non-investment banks in the United States for the period 2004Q1–2009Q4 and controlling for the quality of management, leverage, and diversification,...

This paper presents a new composite leading indicator for the Swiss business cycle corresponding to the growth cycle concept. It is the result of another complete overhaul of the KOF Economic Barometer that has been published by the KOF Swiss Economic Institute on a monthly basis since 1976. In...