The Zero-Coupon Inflation Indexed Swap (ZCIIS) is a derivative contract through which inflation expectations on the Consumer Price Index (CPI) are actively traded in the US. In this thesis we consider different ways to use the information from the ZCIIS market for modeling forward inflation in a risk-neutral framework. We choose to implement a model using a Monte Carlo methodology that simulates the evolution of the forward CPI ratio. We prefer this approach for its flexibility, ease of implementation, instant calibration to the ZCIIS market and intrinsic convexity adjustment on the inflation-linked payoff. Subsequently, we present a series of results we obtain when modeling a chain of consecutive CPI ratios for simulating the evolution of spot inflation. Furthermore, we use this for pricing inflation caplets and floorlets. Finally, we use the intuition gained from this exercise to analyse our results for pricing inflation caps.

In this paper, we have employed the Kourtellos et al. (2007) threshold model to examine the relationship between inflation and relative price variability in Hong Kong, Argentina, Germany, Japan, Mexico and Philippines. Empirical results from Hong Kong, Japan and Mexico show that inflation are endogenous variables, and the relationship between these two variables appears to be a V shape for Hong Kong and Japan. However, the relationship appears to be positive for Mexico. Empirical results fail to reject the hypothesis of exogenous inflation for Argentina, Germany and Philippines, and the relationship between these two variables appears to be a V shape for Philippines and Argentina. There is no significant relationship between these two variables for Germany.

This study investigates the implications of financial dollarization for inflation targeting framework. To this end, monetary policy rule, inflation targeting performance and international reserves equations are estimated for twenty four inflation targeting countries with different levels of financial dollarization. The results based on the panel data estimations indicate that monetary policy rule and behavior of accumulating international reserves are affected by the degree of financial dollarization. Furthermore, the study finds that inflation targeting performance is not affected by the level of financial dollarization. Consequently, the empirical analysis suggests that even if financial dollarization does not affect the inflation targeting performance, it does affect the monetary policy rule and the variables to be taken into account to reach the target.

<p>This bachelor thesis examines the convergence properties of inflation rates of the Euro-pean Monetary Union (EMU) countries over the period 1992 to 2007. The period can be naturally split into two periods, according to the Maastricht Treaty and the introduction of the Euro. Since countries were striving to meet the Maastricht inflation criterion for 1997 we will analyse inflation behaviour of the pre-Euro period (1992 to 1997) and post-Euro period (1998 to 2007), in order to see whether each country’s inflation rates have con-verged to the calculated mean of the sample. To analyse the issue we used CPI inflation rate data from IMF Statistical Database over the period 1992 to 2007.</p><p>We study convergence by means of ADF unit-root tests, Engle-Granger cointegration tests and Johansen cointegration tests. These are complemented with descriptive statistics that measure dispersion of inflation rates within the EMU.</p><p>The conclusion to the research problem can be summaries as follows: Our analysis pre-sents clear evidence of reduction in inflation rate dispersion for the period 1992 to 1997, indicating that the Maastricht Treaty had a major impact on the convergence of inflation rates within the EMU for that period. However, we found that only two countries, Austria and Portugal, had a cointegration relationship with the average rate of inflation of the other countries in the sample. For the period 1998 to 2007, the descriptive statistics indicated that the introduction of the Euro resulted in a divergence of inflation rates within the EMU. Those results were further strengthened by the fact that no cointegration relation-ship was found for that period.</p>

<p>Background: For an investor inflation has always caused problems since it eatsaway portfolio returns, reducing the purchasing power. Russia hasbeen fighting high inflation for the last two decades primarily due tothe economic restructuring from central planning to a free marketeconomy, raising the price levels. Historically property has been regardedas a good hedge against inflation and multiple research studiessupport this assumption. The Russian market for real estate hasgrown significantly over the last decade and is very interesting froma investor perspective.</p><p>Purpose: The purpose of this thesis is to determine whether Russian Real Estate Funds are an effective investment tool in a portfolio to hedgeagainst inflation.</p><p>Method: To fulfill our purpose for this study a quantitative method with adeductive approach is used. The methodology constitutes as theframe for the thesis. In order to analyze the secondary data, We willmake use of statistical models proven from past research/literaturewithin in the field.</p><p>Conclusion: The empirical findings of this study show that during the time period investigated, there exist no evidence that a portfolio holdingRussian real estate funds could act as an appropriate hedge againstinflation. We believe the results could be explained by the limitationin the Russian market when gathering data due to transparencyproblems. There are also relativity few empirical studies within thefield of study in markets with a high inflation rate. Finally We believethe study could enhance an investor’s choice in markets withsimilar conditions.</p>

Thesis (Ph. D.)--York University, 2001. Graduate Programme in Economics. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 101-103). Also available on the Internet. MODE OF ACCESS via web browser by entering the following URL: http://wwwlib.umi.com/cr/yorku/fullcit?pNQ67897.

Den här studien ämnar studera sambanden mellan makrovariabler och aktieavkastning på densvenska marknaden. Studien fokuserar på den svenska aktiemarknaden de senaste elva årenoch makrovariablerna är inflation, ränta, arbetslöshet och växelkursen EUR/SEK. För att mätapåverkan från de makrovariablerna variablerna undersöks indexet OMXS30 och en multipelregressionsanalys utförs. Det finns sedan tidigare flertalet forskningsstudier inom områdetmed olika variabler vilka har gett resultat som både motsäger och styrker Fisher-hypotesenoch diskuteras i resultaten av denna studie. Majoriteten av de tidigare studierna är utförda påandra än den svenska marknaden och kommer således att fungera som en grund för dennastudie. Utifrån resultaten kan en påverkan från makrovariablerna inflation och växelkursuppmätas på den beroende variabeln aktieavkastning för de elva åren.

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Inflation, which posits an exponential expansion in the early universe, is well motivated since it resolves questions that are left unexplained by standard LCDM cosmology, such as the flatness and homogeneity of the universe. The exponential expansion of universe during inflation explains the structure in the universe by freezing out the quantum fluctuations of space. These quantum fluctuations are also expected to generate a background of gravitational waves which would then imprint a B-mode polarization signal on the Cosmic Microwave Background. The Bicep2 and Keck Array experiments search for B-mode polarization from inflationary gravitational waves in the Cosmic Microwave Background. Bicep2 and the Keck Array use small aperture, cold, on-axis refracting optics optimized to target the degree angular scales at which the inflationary B-mode polarization is expected to peak. In this thesis we describe the optical design of Bicep2 and the Keck Array. The small aperture design allows us to fully characterize the far-field performance of the instrument on site at the South Pole using thermal and amplified sources on the ground. We describe the efforts taken to characterize the main beam shapes of each polarization sensitive bolometer, as well as the differential beam paramters of each co-located orthogonally polarized detector pair. We study the residual temperature to polarization leakage induced by the beam mismatches after the principle modes have been mitigated in the analysis. / Physics

The purpose of this study is to analyze the effect of CBI-reforms on inflation in different parts of the world from a theoretical and empirical perspective. Compared to previous studies, this study focuses on whether CBI-reforms have different effects on reducing inflation in different parts of the world. The study is based on a 132 country data-set from 1980 to 2005 compiled by Daunfeldt et al. (2008). The result indicates that the reduction in inflation due to the CBI-reforms varies between 2.2 and 12.32 percentage points in Asia, Europe, South America and Oceania, supporting the claim that implementing CBI-reforms can be successful in reducing inflation in most of the parts of the world.