Is there evidence of the new economy in U.S. GDP data?

This article tests whether the trend growth rate of U.S. GDP changed significantly over the "new economy" period from 1996 to 2003. Based on estimates from widely used methods of trend/cycle decomposition, the author finds that the trend growth rate of GDP was not significantly higher over this period. This suggests that the U.S. was the same old economy in the latter half of the 1990s.Gross domestic product ; Economics

Is the EMU a viable common currency area? a VAR analysis of regional business cycles

Many commentators are skeptical about the long-run viability of the European Monetary Union (EMU). This article compares the EMU with a well-functioning currency union, the U.S., and finds that they are similar based on key criteria. On the basis of this analysis, the EMU may be as viable as the U.S. monetary union.Euro ; Euro-dollar market ; European Monetary System (Organization) ; Vector autoregression ; Business cycles

Are international business cycles different under fixed and flexible exchange rate regimes?

A major concern surrounding European Monetary Union is that output fluctuations of member countries may become more volatile under a common currency because they will have increased sensitivity to foreign business cycles. This article analyzes the link between exchange rate regimes and the behavior of international business cycles.Business cycles ; Foreign exchange rates ; Group of Seven countries

Is there evidence of the new economy in the data?

The popular new economy theory argues that the U.S. economy can now grow at rates much greater than in the past without igniting higher levels of price inflation. At the core of the new economy paradigm is the belief that the U.S. Economy experienced an innovation in the 1990s that raised its so-called constant-inflation trend growth rate. According to its advocates, evidence of the new economy comes from the fact that the U.S. economy experienced relatively strong output growth and low levels of price inflation over the 1990s. This paper evaluates the new economy theory by formally testing whether the growth rate of the constant-inflation trend changed significantly over the 1990s. I find that there is no evidence of the new economy when the constant-inflation trend is estimated using recent GDP and CPI data. My results suggest that the robust economy expansion of the 1990s was not due to a increase in the trend growth rate but rather a cyclical expansion and a level increase in the trend.Economic conditions - United States ; Inflation (Finance) ; Business cycles

A dynamic macroeconomic analysis of NAFTA

This article studies the impact of NAFTA on the three North American economies and a composite of their trading partners. The results suggest NAFTA will lead to welfare gains for all North American participants, with the greatest gains accruing to Mexico.Canada ; Mexico ; North American Free Trade Agreement

Understanding U.S. regional cyclical comovement: How important are spillovers and common shocks?

This article develops a statistical model to study the business cycles of the eight U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis regions. The author shows that the high level of cyclical comovement among per capita incomes of U.S. regions is the byproduct of common shocks to the regions rather than shocks that originate in one region and subsequently spill over to other regions.Business cycles ; Income

Economic gains from trade liberalization--NAFTA's impact

North American Free Trade Agreement ; Free trade

Why do countries pursue bilateral trade agreements: a case study of North America

Current trade theory argues that countries pursue bilateral trade agreements to escape from a terms-of-trade driven prisoners' dilemma. This paper offers an empirical test of the theory. Using simulation results from a quantitative trade model of North America I show that the non-cooperative and cooperative payoffs implicit in the CFTA and NAFTA take on the two essential elements of a prisoners' dilemma. First, my results suggest that irrespective of county size unilateral liberalization makes the liberalizing country worse off, while making its regional trading partner better off. Next, I show that cooperative bilateral agreements make both liberalizing partners better off.North American Free Trade Agreement

Determinants of Business Cycle Comovement: A Robust Analysis

This paper investigates the determinants of business cycle comovement between countries. Our dataset includes over 100 countries, both developed and developing. We search for variables that are robust' in explaining comovement, using the approach of Leamer (1983). Variables considered are (i) bilateral trade between countries; (ii) total trade in each country; (iii) sectoral structure; (iv) similarity in export and import baskets; (v) factor endowments; and (vi) gravity variables. We find that bilateral trade is robust. However, two variables that the literature has argued are important for business cycles industrial structure and currency unions are found not to be robust.

Trade structure, industrial structure, and international business cycles

This paper examines the extent to which the composition of a country's production and trade differs among its trade partners. For example, does the US export the same bundle of goods to the UK as it does to Japan? If we find high dispersion in a country's export and import bundles with its various trading partners, can this be linked to identifiable country characteristics? These findings are important for two reasons. First, they enrich our empirical understanding of the nature of trade. Second, they will stand as a guide for further development of economic theories of the international transmission of business cycles.Trade ; Industrial organization (Economic theory) ; Business cycles