Market structure and pricing

• The Effect of Exchange Rate Movements on Heterogeneous Plants: A Quantile Regression Analysis

  Staff Working Paper 2010-25 Ben Tomlin, Loretta Fung

  In this paper, we examine how the effect of movements in the real exchange rate on manufacturing plants depends on the plant's placement within the productivity distribution. Appreciations of the local currency expose domestic plants to more competition from abroad as export opportunities shrink and import competition intensifies.

  Content Type(s): Staff research, Staff working papers Topic(s): Exchange rates, Market structure and pricing, Productivity JEL Code(s): D, D2, D21, F, F1, L, L1, L16, L6, L60

• Exchange Rate Fluctuations, Plant Turnover and Productivity

  Staff Working Paper 2010-18 Ben Tomlin

  In a small open economy fluctuations in the real exchange rate can affect plant turnover, and thus aggregate productivity, by altering the makeup of plants that populate the market. An appreciation of the local currency increases the level of competition in the domestic market as import competition intensifies and export opportunities shrink, forcing less productive plants from the market and compelling new entrants to be more competitive than they otherwise would have been.

  Content Type(s): Staff research, Staff working papers Topic(s): Exchange rates, Market structure and pricing, Productivity JEL Code(s): D, D2, D21, D24, L, L1, L11
• June 9, 2010

  Crude Oil Futures: A Crystal Ball?

  Bank of Canada Review - Spring 2010 Ron Alquist, Elif Arbatli

  Based on recent research, this article discusses three ways that oil-futures prices can improve our understanding of current conditions and future prospects in the global market for crude oil. First, the response of the oil-futures curve can be used to identify the persistence of oil-price shocks and to obtain an indicator of the rate at which they will diminish. Second, the spread between the current futures price and the spot price of oil can be interpreted as an indicator of the precautionary demand for oil. Third, because oil-futures prices are volatile, forecasts of the future spot price of oil using futures prices should be supplemented with other information to improve their accuracy.

  Content Type(s): Publications, Bank of Canada Review articles Topic(s): Econometric and statistical methods, Market structure and pricing

• Search Frictions and Asset Price Volatility

  Staff Working Paper 2010-1 B. Ravikumar, Enchuan Shao

  We examine the quantitative effect of search frictions in product markets on asset price volatility. We combine several features from Shi (1997) and Lagos and Wright (2002) in a model without money. Households prefer special goods and general goods.

  Content Type(s): Staff research, Staff working papers Topic(s): Financial markets, Market structure and pricing JEL Code(s): E, E4, E44, G, G1, G12