We propose a Bayesian infinite hidden Markov model to estimate time- varying parameters in a vector autoregressive model. The Markov structure allows for heterogeneity over time while accounting for state-persistence. By modelling the transition distribution as a Dirichlet process mixture model,...

This paper analyses the monetary consequences of the Latin-American trade integration process. We consider a sample of five countries - Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Mexico and Uruguay - spanning the period 1991-2007. The main question raised pertains to the feasibility of a monetary union between...

This paper studies U.S. inflation adjustment speed to aggregate technology shocks and to monetary policy shocks in a Bayesian VAR model with a large number of macroeconomic variables. According to the model estimated on the 1960-2007 sample, inflation adjusts much faster to aggregate technology...

The substantial fluctuations in house prices recently experienced by many industrialized economies have stimulated a vivid debate on the possible implications for monetary policy. In this paper, we ask whether the U.S. Fed, the Bank of Japan and the Bank of England have reacted to house prices....