Hassan Shirvani

The Relationship Between The Real Exchange Rate and The Trade Balance: An Empirical Reassessment

This paper presents an empirical reassessment of the relationship between the real exchange rate and the trade balance, using the multivariate cointegration approach. Based on bilateral trade between the U. S. and the other G7 countries, we find evidence that the trade balance is unresponsive to the exchange rate in the very short run but is significantly affected by it within two years. We also find evidence supporting the empirical validity of the Marshall-Lerner condition, indicating that devaluations do improve the trade balance in the long run.[F32]

The random walk in the stock prices of 18 OECD countries: Some robust panel-based integration and cointegration tests

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the presence of unit roots in the stock prices of 16 OECD countries. Design/methodology/approach Heterogeneous panel unit root tests developed by Im et al. (1997/2003) and Pesaran (2007). Findings Under the assumption of cross-sectional independence across the panel, the authors find no evidence of unit roots, thus failing to reject mean reversion in the stock prices for all the countries in the sample. However, under the assumption of cross-sectional dependence, an assumption borne out by the diagnostic test results, the authors find support for the presence of unit roots in the stock prices. Practical implications Thus, the use of more robust panel unit root tests seems to raise questions about the long-run predictability of the stock market, at least in the context of the OECD countries. Originality/value Thus, it seems that in the long run, an investment policy of buy and hold has still much to offer.

The Stability of the Demand for Money in Monetary Unions: Some Empirical Evidence from WAEMU

Previous studies of the stability of the demand for money have been largely conducted in the context of individual countries. To the extent that these countries have control over their monetary policies, such an approach is well justified. However, for monetary unions, where the control over monetary policy is usually vested in a central or outside authority, it is more appropriate to examine the stability of the money demand for the union as a collective entity. This paper follows this approach with respect to a West African monetary union, the WAEMU, whose monetary policies are largely dictated by the French authorities. Using cointegration theory and CUSUM stability tests, we find evidence that the demand for broad money is stable in this union. Given the empirical results, the paper draws inferences regarding their implications for the formulation of optimal monetary policy for the WAEMU.