This paper argues that the Balassa-Samuelson effect is not of importance for the inflation target of the ECB. First, econometric tests of the Balassa-Samuelson effect suggest that its econometric significance is weak at best. Second, countries in the process of catching up require a real...

Die Wachstumsschwäche in einigen europäischen Ländern wie Portugal und Italien in der ersten Hälfte dieses Jahrzehnts sowie anhaltend hohe Inflationsraten und ein Bauboom in Spanien haben zu einer Debatte darüber geführt, ob sich möglicherweise die einzelnen Länder der Eurozone...

Dieser Aufsatz untersucht, inwieweit die jüngste Debatte um mögliche Divergenzen in der Eurozone tatsächlich einen Grund zur Besorgnis aufzählt. Dabei wird argumentiert, dass die häufig übliche Definition von Divergenzen als die Veränderung der Standardabweichung bei Inflation und...

Using unit labor cost (ULC) data from Euro area countries as well as US States and German Laender we investigate inflation convergence using different approaches, namely panel unit root tests, cointegration tests and error-correction models. All in all we cannot reject convergence of ULC growth...

Using a modified version of the model presented by Belke and Gros (2007), we analyze the stability of adjustment in a currency union. Using econometric estimates for parameter values we check the stability conditions for the 11 original EMU countries and Greece. We found significant instability...

Using a modified version of the model presented by Belke and Gros (2007), we analyze the stability of adjustment in a currency union. Using econometric estimates for parameter values we check the stability conditions for the 11 original EMU countries and Greece. We found significant instability...

Using a modified version of the model presented by Belke and Gros (2007), we analyze the stability of adjustment in a currency union. Using econometric estimates for parameter values we check the stability conditions for the 11 original EMU countries and Greece. We found significant instability...

Using unit labor cost (ULC) data from Euro area countries as well as US States and German Länder we investigate inflation convergence using different approaches, namely panel unit root tests, cointegration tests and error-correction models. All in all we cannot reject convergence of ULC growth...

Dieser Aufsatz untersucht, inwieweit die jüngste Debatte um mögliche Divergenzen in der Eurozone tatsächlich einen Grund zur Besorgnis aufzählt. Dabei wird argumentiert, dass die häufig übliche Definition von Divergenzen als die Veränderung der Standardabweichung bei Inflation und...

Using unit labor cost (ULC) data from Euro area countries as well as US States and German L¨ander we investigate inflation convergence using different approaches, namely panel unit root tests, cointegration tests and error-correction models. All in all we cannot reject convergence of ULC growth...