We investigate inflation convergence between the Euro Zone and its CEE partners using panel data methods that incorporate structural shifts. We find strong rejections of the unit root hypothesis, and therefore evidence of PPP, in the East-European countries for the 1995:1 to 2000:4 period.

The aim of this paper is to apply recent advances in the econometrics of non-stationary dynamic panel methods to examine the robustness of the PPP concept for a sample of 73 developed and developing countries. Our investigations indicate that the strong PPP is verified for OECD and MENA...

This paper offers a new insight into real exchange rate behaviour in Latin America. Using quarterly data over the sample period 1973Q2-2005Q4, the analysis indicates that the real exchange rates of Argentina, Brazil and Venezuala can be described as non-linear trend stationary processes. This...

The Economist magazine has been publishing the Big Mac Index using it as a rule of thumb to determine the over- or under-valuation of international currencies based on the theory of Purchasing Power Parity since 1986. According to the theory, using the Big Mac as a tradable single-good basket,...

Most economies experience episodes of persistent real exchange rate appreciations, when the question arises whether there is a need for intervention to protect the export sector. In this paper we present a model of irreversible destruction where exchange rate intervention may be justified if the...

In this paper we address the two following questions: (1) what are the major sources of real exchange rate fluctuations in developing countries? (2) do economic policy makers have room to face possible real exchange rate fluctuations? To answer these questions, we estimate a structural VAR model...

The aim of this paper is to apply recently developed panel cointegration techniques proposed by Pedroni (1999, 2004) and generalized by Banerjee and Carrion-i-Silvestre (2006) to examine the robustness of the PPP concept for a sample of 80 developed and developing countries. We find that strong...

Exchange rate misalignment may exacerbate the costs of transition for the former socialist economies. We examine the exchange rate policies of Poland, calculate the real exchange rate based upon the CPI, PPI, wage rates and profits and then calculate misalignment. Purchasing power parity...

This paper tests empirically the Balassa-Samuelson (BS) hypothesis using annual data for 6 Asian countries. We apply new panel data cointegration techniques recently developed by Pedroni (2000) and we compare the results with those obtained with conventional Johansen (1995)'s time series...

Recent empirical and theoretical literature on the impact of real exchange rate devaluations on economic performance questions the traditional expansionary effect generated within standard Mundell-Fleming models. Contractionary devaluations may arise when firms face maturity or currency...