There are three major approaches used to estimate index numbers. The first is Fisher's test approach whereby indexes are judged on their ability to satisfy certain criteria. The economic theory of index numbers is the second approach and this deals with their foundations in utility theory. The...

This article analyses differences in the wealth of nations by comparing PPP-based cross-country incomes from the Penn World Table with those derived from prevailing exchange rates. Using the Balassa (1964)-Samuelson (1964) productivity-bias framework, we introduce the 'international poverty...

The hypothesis of additive utility (or preference independence) is often applied to the demand for broad aggregates. Recent testing provides some evidence favourable to the hypothesis, thus overturning the older results based on the standard asymptotic tests which are seriously biased against...

The paper provides an account of aspects of exchange-rate economics that are of particular relevance to the resources sector. The issues discussed include exchange-rate volatility and the risk management practices used to deal with it, the role of productivity differences across countries, and...