The Carry Trade, Portfolio Diversification, and the Adjustment of the Japanese Yen Staff Discussion Paper 2008-2 Corinne Luu In this paper, the author considers whether fundamentals or other factors can explain the yen's ongoing weakness. In particular, the importance of capital outflows due to the carry trade and longer-term portfolio investment outflows, which may be delaying the adjustment of the yen, are investigated. A simple portfolio model is developed, composed of a speculative […] Content Type(s): Staff research, Staff discussion papers Research Topic(s): Exchange rates, International topics, Recent economic and financial developments JEL Code(s): F, F2, F21, F3, F31, F32, G, G1, G11
An Overview of Carbon Markets and Emissions Trading: Lessons for Canada Staff Discussion Paper 2008-1 Michael R. King The author provides an overview of carbon markets and explains how emissions trading can be important in encouraging the reduction of CO2 emissions in an efficient manner. He describes the key steps in establishing a cap-and-trade system, and reviews the European experiences with emissions trading. He highlights the lessons learned from the EU Emissions Trading […] Content Type(s): Staff research, Staff discussion papers Research Topic(s): International topics, Market structure and pricing JEL Code(s): D, D4, N, N5, N50, Q, Q2, Q21
Default Dependence: The Equity Default Relationship Staff Working Paper 2008-1 Stuart Turnbull, Jun Yang The paper examines three equity-based structural models to study the nonlinear relationship between equity and credit default swap (CDS) prices. These models differ in the specification of the default barrier. Content Type(s): Staff research, Staff working papers Research Topic(s): Econometric and statistical methods, Financial markets JEL Code(s): G, G1, G12, G13
Electronic Transactions as High-Frequency Indicators of Economic Activity Staff Working Paper 2007-58 John Galbraith, Greg Tkacz Since the advent of standard national accounts data over 60 years ago, economists have traditionally relied on monthly or quarterly data supplied by central statistical agencies for macroeconomic modelling and forecasting. Content Type(s): Staff research, Staff working papers Research Topic(s): Business fluctuations and cycles JEL Code(s): E, E1, E17, E2, E27, E6, E66
Uncertainty and the Specificity of Human Capital Staff Working Paper 2007-57 Martin Gervais, Igor Livshits, Césaire Meh This paper studies the choice between general and specific human capital. A trade-off arises because general human capital, while less productive, can easily be reallocated across firms. Content Type(s): Staff research, Staff working papers Research Topic(s): Economic models JEL Code(s): D, D9, D92, J, J2, J24, J4, J41, J6, J62
Estimation and Inference by the Method of Projection Minimum Distance Staff Working Paper 2007-56 Òscar Jordà, Sharon Kozicki A covariance-stationary vector of variables has a Wold representation whose coefficients can be semi-parametrically estimated by local projections (Jordà, 2005). Substituting the Wold representations for variables in model expressions generates restrictions that can be used by the method of minimum distance to estimate model parameters. Content Type(s): Staff research, Staff working papers Research Topic(s): Econometric and statistical methods JEL Code(s): C, C3, C32, C5, C53, E, E4, E47
The Impact of Emerging Asia on Commodity Prices Staff Working Paper 2007-55 Sylvie Morin, Calista Cheung Over the past 5 years, real energy and non-energy commodity prices have trended sharply higher. These relative price movements have had important implications for inflation and economic activity in both Canada and the rest of the world. China has accounted for the bulk of incremental demand for oil and many base metals over this period. Content Type(s): Staff research, Staff working papers Research Topic(s): Business fluctuations and cycles, International topics JEL Code(s): E, E3, F, F4, O, O1, O19, Q, Q1, Q11
Tracking Canadian Trend Productivity: A Dynamic Factor Model with Markov Switching Staff Discussion Paper 2007-12 Michael Dolega The author attempts to track Canadian labour productivity over the past four decades using a multivariate dynamic factor model that, in addition to the labour productivity series, includes aggregate compensation and consumption information. Productivity is assumed to switch between two regimes (the high-growth state and the low-growth state) with different trend growth rates according to […] Content Type(s): Staff research, Staff discussion papers Research Topic(s): Productivity JEL Code(s): C, C3, C32, O, O4, O5, O51
Expenditure-Switching Effect and the Choice of Exchange Rate Regime Staff Working Paper 2007-54 Wei Dong The author investigates the quantitative importance of the expenditure-switching effect by developing and estimating a structural sticky-price model nesting both producer currency pricing (PCP) and local currency pricing (LCP) settings. Content Type(s): Staff research, Staff working papers Research Topic(s): Exchange rate regimes, International topics JEL Code(s): F, F3, F4
Testing Uncovered Interest Parity: A Continuous-Time Approach Staff Working Paper 2007-53 Antonio Diez de los Rios, Enrique Sentana Nowadays researchers can choose the sampling frequency of exchange rates and interest rates. Content Type(s): Staff research, Staff working papers Research Topic(s): Econometric and statistical methods, Exchange rates JEL Code(s): F, F3, F31, G, G1, G15