On critical values of L-functions of potentially automorphic motives

In this paper we prove a version of Deligne's conjecture for potentially automorphic motives, twisted by certain algebraic Hecke characters. The Hecke characters are chosen in such a way that we can use automorphic methods in the context of totally definite unitary groups.Comment: 24 page

Trade with China and India and Manufacturing Labour Demand in Argentina

For many in Latin America, the increasing participation of China and India in international markets is seen as a looming shadow of two ?mighty giants? on the region?s manufacturing sector. Are they really mighty giants when it comes to their impact on manufacturing employment? This paper attempts to answer this question by estimating the effects of trade with China and India on Argentina?s industrial employment. We use a dynamic econometric model and industry level data to estimate the effects of trade with China and India on the level of employment in Argentina?s manufacturing sector. Results suggest that trade with China and India only had a small negative effect on industrial employment, even during the swift trade liberalization of the 1990s.China, Latin America, trade, import competition, trade and labour market interactions, employment

Trade, Poverty and Employment: The Social Consequences of Integration with China

This paper estimates the potential effects of a free trade agreement (FTA) between China and Mercosur on poverty, income distribution, welfare and employment. The case of Argentina, in particular, is investigated. To this end, partial equilibrium techniques are combined with micro econometric methodologies employing data from household surveys to examine the likely effects of an FTA with China on poverty and income distribution. We find that the FTA would result in a small reduction in poverty as well as an improvement in the income distribution. Highly disaggregated data at the industry level is used for the first time to estimate labor demand-output and wage elasticities in order to estimate the effects of an agreement with China on sectoral and aggregate employment rates. According to this, trade with the PRC did not have a significant effect on industrial employment, even in a period of swift trade liberalization like the nineties.China, Import Competition, Trade and Labor Market Interactions, Employment, Income Distribution, Poverty

The dynamic relationship between the federal funds rate and the Treasury bill rate: an empirical investigation

This article examines the dynamic relationship between two key U.S. money market interest rates - the federal funds rate and the 3-month Treasury bill rate. Using daily data over the period 1974 to 1999, we find a long-run relationship between these two rates that is remarkably stable across monetary policy regimes of interest rate and monetary aggregate targeting. Employing a non-linear asymmetric vector equilibrium correction model, which is novel in this context, we find that most of the adjustment towards the long-run equilibrium occurs through the federal funds rates. In turn, there is strong evidence for the existence of significant asymmetries and nonlinearities in interest rate dynamics that have implications for the conventional view of interest rate behavior.Interest rates ; Arbitrage ; Treasury bills

The efficient market hypothesis and identification in structural VARs

Structural vector autoregression (SVAR) models are commonly used to investigate the effect of structural shocks on economic variables. The identifying restrictions imposed in many of these exercises have been criticized in the literature. This paper extends this literature by showing that if the SVAR includes one or more variables that are efficient in the strong form of the efficient market hypothesis, the identifying restrictions frequently imposed in SVARs cannot be satisfied. We argue that our analysis will likely apply to VARs that include variables that are consistent with the weaker form of the efficient market hypothesis, especially when the data are measured at the monthly or quarterly frequencies, as is frequently the case.Macroeconomics ; Econometric models

The efficient market hypothesis and identification in structural VARs

Structural vector autoregression (SVAR) models are commonly used to investigate the effect of structural shocks on economic variables. The identifying restrictions imposed in many of these exercises have been criticized in the literature. This paper extends this literature by showing that, if the SVAR includes one or more variables that are efficient in the strong form of the efficient market hypothesis, the identifying restrictions frequently imposed in SVARs cannot be satisfied. The authors argue that this analysis will likely apply to VARs that include variables that are consistent with weaker forms of the efficient market hypothesis, especially when the data are measured at the monthly or quarterly frequencies, as is frequently the case.Macroeconomics ; Econometric models

The impact of trade with China and India on Argentina's manufacturing employment

For many in Latin America, the increasing participation of China and India in international markets is seen as a looming shadow of two"mighty giants"on the region's manufacturing sector. Are they really mighty giants when it comes to their impact on manufacturing employment? The authors attempt to answer this question by estimating the effects of trade with China and India on Argentina's industrial employment. They use a dynamic econometric model and industry level data to estimate the effects of trade with China and India on the level of employment in Argentina's manufacturing sector. Results suggest that trade with China and India only had a small negative effect on industrial employment, even during the swift trade liberalization of the 1990s.Labor Markets,Free Trade,Economic Theory&Research,Water and Industry,Trade Policy

The empirical failure of the expectations hypothesis of the term structure of bond yields

This paper tests the expectations hypothesis (EH) using US monthly data for bond yields spanning the 1952-2003 sample period and ranging in maturity from 1 month to 10 years. We apply the Lagrange multiplier test developed by Bekaert and Hodrick (2001) and extend it to increase the test power: (a) by introducing economic variables as conditioning information; and (b) by using more than two bond yields in the model and testing the EH jointly on more than one pair of yields. While the conventional bivariate procedure provides mixed results, the more powerful testing procedures suggest rejection of the EH throughout the maturity spectrum examined. ; Earlier titles: Testing the expectations hypothesis: some new evidence, New evidence on the expectations hypothesis of the term structure of bond yieldsRational expectations (Economic theory)

Federal Funds Rate Prediction

Recent research has reported that both the federal funds rate futures market and the federal funds target contain valuable information for explaining the behavior of the US effective federal funds rate. A parallel literature on interest rate modelling has recorded evidence that the dynamics of interest rates displays significant regime-switching behavior. In this paper we produce out of sample forecasts of the federal funds rate at horizons up to 8 weeks ahead using linear and nonlinear, regime-switching equilibrium correction models of the funds rate and employing both point and density measures of forecast accuracy. We cannot discriminate among the models considered in terms of point forecast accuracy. However, in terms of density forecast accuracy, we find that the term structure model of the federal funds futures rate is significantly better than the other models considered, and that regime-switching models provide a substantial forecasting improvement relative to their linear counterparts and relative to individual series of the futures rate.federal funds rate, term structure of interest rates, forecasting, nonlinearity

The expectation hypothesis of the term structure of very short-term rates: statistical tests and economic value

This paper re-examines the validity of the Expectation Hypothesis (EH) of the term structure of US repo rates ranging in maturity from overnight to three months. We extend the work of Longstaff (2000a) in two directions: (i) we implement statistical tests designed to increase test power in this context; (ii) more importantly, we assess the economic value of departures from the EH based on criteria of profitability and economic significance in the context of a simple trading strategy. The EH is rejected throughout the term structure examined on the basis of the statistical tests. However, the results of our economic analysis are favorable to the EH, suggesting that the statistical rejections of the EH in the repo market are economically insignificant.Interest rates