Lourdes Moreno Martín

Pricing to market at firm level

This paper analyzes the influence of exchange rate variations on prices in foreign and home markets using firm data. The theoretical benchmark, based on the literature of pricing to market, also takes into account some hypotheses about the effects of demand variations and market power on prices. The empirical analysis for the Spanish economy points out the positive impact of the devaluations of the domestic currency on the relative evolution of prices, though smaller than obtained in previous evidence using aggregated data. The results also suggest a procyclical behavior of prices, which is positively affected by the degree of competition. JEL no. F12, L60, L13

Export activity, persistence and mark-ups

This article addresses the differences in margins across exporting and nonexporting firms. We jointly estimate a translog cost function, a variable factor share equation and price-cost margin equations to analyse the effect of persistence in export activity on margins. Results indicate that nonexporters have smaller margins than persistent exporters and firms that entered foreign markets during the nineties. However, larger export ratio is negatively associated with margins for persistent exporters. It suggests that efficiency advantages for exporters are partially compensated by higher competitive pressure in international markets. These results are in accordance with the predictions of Melitz and Ottaviano (2005).