The Fisher Equation suggests that the spread between nominal and real interest rates is equal to the inflation expectations. In Sweden, where both nominal and inflation linked bonds exist the fisher equation implies that the yield spread could provide investors and policymakers with important information about markets inflation expectations. The aim of this thesis is therefore to estimate whether the yield spread between Swedish nominal and real interest rates - widely referred to as the Breakeven Inflation (BEI) - is a market based measure of inflation expectations. A sample based on historical bond prices between year 2000 and 2007 is used and adjusted for 3 distortions: i) The mismatch in cash flow structure arising from different bond characteristics. ii) The inflation indexation and bond finance implications (carry). iii) The seasonality in Consumer Price Index (CPI). In the absence of “true” inflation expectations, the benchmark used for the evaluation and comparison of the unadjusted and adjusted BEI series is the survey based, Prospera Money Market Players inflationary expectations, i.e. professional forecasters. The evaluation uses two statistical measures to estimate the errors, the Root Mean Squared Error (RMSE) to estimate the size of the forecast error and the Mean Error (ME) to measure the bias or the tendency for the forecast error to point in a particular direction. The general conclusion of the study is that both the unadjusted and the adjusted BEI series have improved significantly throughout the sample period as predictors of inflation expectations. Further, in the first half of the sample, the MEs show that the BEI tends to underestimate inflation expectations, while in the second part of the sample the direction of the errors are less univocal. However, the carry adjusted and in some extent the carry and seasonality adjusted BEI seem to improve the BEI somewhat, although the conclusions are not very convincing. When using BEI to measure inflation expectations the conclusions should also be balanced against the possible bias associated with survey based expectations.

This Study addressed the inflation accounting problem with respect to Greece. This problem had been unaddressed despite the serious implications it may have on micro- and macro-decision making due to the high and persistent inflation Greece has sustained from 1973 and afterwards. To accomplish the above purpose, the general significance of inflation accounting as well as its specific significance for Greece was established by means of the existing inflation accounting literature and the economic setting of Greece. Following this, the relevance of GPPA rather than CCA to the Greek financial reporting was established by means of correspondence between specific features of GPPA and specific characteristics of the Greek setting. After having established the a priori relevance of GPPA for Greece, the potential usefulness of GPPA to the Greek users of accounts was established as well on an empirical basis. For this purpose the impact of GPPA on Greek accounts was approximated ex ante through detailed restatement procedures and estimation techniques. It was found that inflation has a serious impact on earnings and especially on such important (for decision making) financial parameters as tax rate, dividend payout ratio, and return on capital employed. This impact of inflation on earnings does not seem to be systematic, and hence it cannot be estimated by use of HCA numbers. Therefore, GPPA should be adopted at least on a supplementary (to HCA) basis, if in the future the increase in the inflation rate continues to be as high as it was in the period examined by the study (i.e. 25% or so). In additon to the main conclusion above, other conclusions drawn on the basis of the empirical findings obtained are as follows: 1. The Composite Age Technique used (mainly in the USA) for the restatement of fixed assets and depreciation does not work at all in the Greek case. In contrast, the Dichotomus Year Technique in the first place, and the Equal Additions Technique, in the second place, may be used for adjusting fixed assets not only in developing countries like Greece, but, perhaps in developed countries as well. 2. Operation costs of GPPA can be saved by restating fixed assets and depreciation on an annual rather than monthly basis. 3. Perhaps the Greek government should consider the taxes imposed on corporate net profits in times of high inflation because it was found that the effective tax rate is substantially different from the nominal one. 4. There are serious implications for the Greek businesses in the finding that in real term dividends are paid out of capital rather than out of income. 5. The profitability of Greek companies is low when measured in real terms. Hence, businessmen should exercise every effort to improve it. On the other hand, the Greek government should consider the prices control imposed.

Not available / text

No description available.

Minn., Univ. of Minnesota, Diss.--Minneapolis, 2004. / Kopie, ersch. im Verl. UMI, Ann Arbor, Mich. - Enth. 2 Beitr.

É possível partir estritamente de Marx para definir inflação? Em que pese não haver uma definição precisa em suas obras sobre tal fenômeno – até porque, em sua época, este não era uma preocupação econômica relevante – acredita-se que seu método e formulações teóricas são as que melhor possibilitam entender a realidade econômica complexa e seus fatos constitutivos. Não haveria de ser diferente com a inflação, e ela é entendida como o processo pelo qual a moeda legal se desvaloriza e passa a expressar uma quantidade menor de valor. A moeda perde poder de compra e passa adquirir menos produtos por causa dessa corrosão. Isto se reflete num aumento do nível geral de preços. A inflação deve ser entendida por esse prisma, e para trazer uma alternativa à interpretação deste fenômeno, faz-se necessário expor inicialmente a teoria monetária de Marx. Este é o objetivo central da tese: apresentar uma possibilidade de explicação para o fenômeno da variação de preços, sobretudo a inflação, numa perspectiva orgânica e histórica, tendo por base a teoria monetária marxiana. Para tanto, é preciso: i) elucidar a possibilidade de partir da teoria do valor para compreender tal fenômeno, sem abrir mão do rigor e sem capitular à crença de que a teoria de Marx é insuficiente para explicar os fenômenos contemporâneos; ii) apresentar argumentos teóricos que interpretem o processo pelo qual a inflação se transforma de um fenômeno esporádico a um convencional, rotineiro. Trabalha-se com as seguintes hipóteses: a) que o dinheiro no capitalismo é inequivocamente mercadoria, pois só assim os trabalhos privados são socialmente validados e a magnitude do valor pode ser devidamente expressa, e; b) que a inflação se deriva da desvalorização da moeda (meio de circulação) em referência ao dinheiro, logo, acontece por razões fundamentalmente monetárias. Quando este fenômeno ganha contornos irreversíveis e permanentes, ou seja, quando suas condições históricas estão plenamente desenvolvidas, assume sua forma crônica. A conclusão é que a inflação advém de mudanças de tipo-preço, especificamente desproporções monetárias com superavit líquido, em vez de mudanças de tipo-valor, como entende a maioria das interpretações autodenominadas marxistas. / Is it possible to start from Marx to define inflation? Although there is no precise definition in his works about such phenomenon – given that, at his time, that was not a relevant economic concern – it is believed that his method and theoretical formulations are the ones that best make possible understanding the complex economic reality and its internal facts. It would not be different with inflation, understood as the process by which the legal tender currency devalues and begins to express a smaller amount of value. The currency loses purchasing power and purchases fewer products because of this corrosion. That is reflected in an increase in general price levels. Inflation must be understood by this prism and, in order to bring an alternative to the interpretation of this phenomenon, it is necessary to expose initially the monetary theory of Marx. That is the main objective of the dissertation, to present a possibility of explanation for the phenomenon of price variation, especially inflation, from an organic and historical perspective, based on Marxian monetary theory. In order to do so, it is necessary to: (i) elucidate the possibility of starting from the theory of value in order to understand this phenomenon, without abandoning rigor and without surrendering to the belief that Marx's theory is insufficient to explain contemporary phenomena; (ii) present theoretical arguments that interpret the process by which inflation is transformed from a sporadic phenomenon to a conventional and routine. We work with the following hypotheses: a) that money in capitalism is commodity, unequivocally, because only then private works are socially validated and the magnitude of value can be duly expressed; b) that inflation derives from the devaluation of the currency (means of circulation) in reference to money, so it happens for fundamentally monetary reasons, and that when this phenomenon gains irreversible and permanent contours, that is, when its historical conditions are fully developed, takes its chronic form. The conclusion is that inflation comes from price-type changes, specifically monetary disproportions with net superavit, rather than value-type changes, as most self-described Marxist interpretations understand it.

This thesis consists of three empirical papers on central bank institutional design.Chapter 1 contributes to the debate on the importance of central bank independence (CBI) in lowering inflation rates. It stresses the relevance of employing indices of central bank independence computed dynamically in two ways. First, it recomputes the evolution of the Grilli et al. (1991) index of CBI and shows that the timing of large legislative reforms is closely related to inflation rate dynamics. Using unit root tests with endogenous structural breaks, I find that reforms that modify the degree of CBI represent structural breaks in the inflation rate dynamics. Second, employing the dynamic Grilli et al. (1991) index of independence confirms the negative relationship between CBI and inflation in a sample of 10 advanced economies.Chapter 2 presents a new and comprehensive database of central bank institutional design for 65 countries over the period 1972--2014. This chapter describes in detail the sources of information and the coding rules used to create a new index of central bank independence. It also compares this new index with the classical measures of CBI and highlights the new aspects of central bank institutional design included in this database such as financial independence and accountability. An important innovation of this new index is its dynamic nature. This enables an investigation of the endogenous determination of the level of independence of central banks and suggests several instruments for the CBI index. Using an instrumental variable approach, this chapter provides strong support for a causal, negative CBI-inflation nexus.Chapter 3 uses a political economy framework to investigate the drivers of reforms in central bank institutional design. Using the new CBI index developed in Chapter 2, this Chapter investigates the determinants of central bank reforms in a sample of 65 countries over the period 1972--2014. The results obtained suggest that the incentives generated by initial reforms which increased the level of independence, as well as a regional convergence, represent important drivers of reforms in central bank design. At the same time, an external pressure to reform, such as obtaining an IMF loan or joining a monetary union, also increases the likelihood of reforms, while government changes or crises episodes have little impact. / This thesis consists of three empirical papers on central bank institutional design.Chapter 1 contributes to the debate on the importance of central bank independence (CBI) in lowering inflation rates. It stresses the relevance of employing indices of central bank independence computed dynamically in two ways. First, it recomputes the evolution of the Grilli et al. (1991) index of CBI and shows that the timing of large legislative reforms is closely related to inflation rate dynamics. Using unit root tests with endogenous structural breaks, I find that reforms that modify the degree of CBI represent structural breaks in the inflation rate dynamics. Second, employing the dynamic Grilli et al. (1991) index of independence confirms the negative relationship between CBI and inflation in a sample of 10 advanced economies.Chapter 2 presents a new and comprehensive database of central bank institutional design for 65 countries over the period 1972--2014. This chapter describes in detail the sources of information and the coding rules used to create a new index of central bank independence. It also compares this new index with the classical measures of CBI and highlights the new aspects of central bank institutional design included in this database such as financial independence and accountability. An important innovation of this new index is its dynamic nature. This enables an investigation of the endogenous determination of the level of independence of central banks and suggests several instruments for the CBI index. Using an instrumental variable approach, this chapter provides strong support for a causal, negative CBI-inflation nexus.Chapter 3 uses a political economy framework to investigate the drivers of reforms in central bank institutional design. Using the new CBI index developed in Chapter 2, this Chapter investigates the determinants of central bank reforms in a sample of 65 countries over the period 1972--2014. The results obtained suggest that the incentives generated by initial reforms which increased the level of independence, as well as a regional convergence, represent important drivers of reforms in central bank design. At the same time, an external pressure to reform, such as obtaining an IMF loan or joining a monetary union, also increases the likelihood of reforms, while government changes or crises episodes have little impact.

É possível partir estritamente de Marx para definir inflação? Em que pese não haver uma definição precisa em suas obras sobre tal fenômeno – até porque, em sua época, este não era uma preocupação econômica relevante – acredita-se que seu método e formulações teóricas são as que melhor possibilitam entender a realidade econômica complexa e seus fatos constitutivos. Não haveria de ser diferente com a inflação, e ela é entendida como o processo pelo qual a moeda legal se desvaloriza e passa a expressar uma quantidade menor de valor. A moeda perde poder de compra e passa adquirir menos produtos por causa dessa corrosão. Isto se reflete num aumento do nível geral de preços. A inflação deve ser entendida por esse prisma, e para trazer uma alternativa à interpretação deste fenômeno, faz-se necessário expor inicialmente a teoria monetária de Marx. Este é o objetivo central da tese: apresentar uma possibilidade de explicação para o fenômeno da variação de preços, sobretudo a inflação, numa perspectiva orgânica e histórica, tendo por base a teoria monetária marxiana. Para tanto, é preciso: i) elucidar a possibilidade de partir da teoria do valor para compreender tal fenômeno, sem abrir mão do rigor e sem capitular à crença de que a teoria de Marx é insuficiente para explicar os fenômenos contemporâneos; ii) apresentar argumentos teóricos que interpretem o processo pelo qual a inflação se transforma de um fenômeno esporádico a um convencional, rotineiro. Trabalha-se com as seguintes hipóteses: a) que o dinheiro no capitalismo é inequivocamente mercadoria, pois só assim os trabalhos privados são socialmente validados e a magnitude do valor pode ser devidamente expressa, e; b) que a inflação se deriva da desvalorização da moeda (meio de circulação) em referência ao dinheiro, logo, acontece por razões fundamentalmente monetárias. Quando este fenômeno ganha contornos irreversíveis e permanentes, ou seja, quando suas condições históricas estão plenamente desenvolvidas, assume sua forma crônica. A conclusão é que a inflação advém de mudanças de tipo-preço, especificamente desproporções monetárias com superavit líquido, em vez de mudanças de tipo-valor, como entende a maioria das interpretações autodenominadas marxistas. / Is it possible to start from Marx to define inflation? Although there is no precise definition in his works about such phenomenon – given that, at his time, that was not a relevant economic concern – it is believed that his method and theoretical formulations are the ones that best make possible understanding the complex economic reality and its internal facts. It would not be different with inflation, understood as the process by which the legal tender currency devalues and begins to express a smaller amount of value. The currency loses purchasing power and purchases fewer products because of this corrosion. That is reflected in an increase in general price levels. Inflation must be understood by this prism and, in order to bring an alternative to the interpretation of this phenomenon, it is necessary to expose initially the monetary theory of Marx. That is the main objective of the dissertation, to present a possibility of explanation for the phenomenon of price variation, especially inflation, from an organic and historical perspective, based on Marxian monetary theory. In order to do so, it is necessary to: (i) elucidate the possibility of starting from the theory of value in order to understand this phenomenon, without abandoning rigor and without surrendering to the belief that Marx's theory is insufficient to explain contemporary phenomena; (ii) present theoretical arguments that interpret the process by which inflation is transformed from a sporadic phenomenon to a conventional and routine. We work with the following hypotheses: a) that money in capitalism is commodity, unequivocally, because only then private works are socially validated and the magnitude of value can be duly expressed; b) that inflation derives from the devaluation of the currency (means of circulation) in reference to money, so it happens for fundamentally monetary reasons, and that when this phenomenon gains irreversible and permanent contours, that is, when its historical conditions are fully developed, takes its chronic form. The conclusion is that inflation comes from price-type changes, specifically monetary disproportions with net superavit, rather than value-type changes, as most self-described Marxist interpretations understand it.

In this project a recent model of inflation in which the Standard Model Higgs field with a nonminimal coupling to gravity takes on the role of the inflaton field is investigated. The tensor to scalar ratio, spectral index and the running of the spectral index  is calculated for a tree level analysis and compared with the Planck experiment. The value of the nonminimal coupling constant $\xi$ is estimated by obtaining a relation between the amplitude of scalar perturbations and the Higgs mass, it is found that $\xi \sim 10^4$. The basic aspects of how the results are modified through quantum corrections and what the consequences of the nonminimal coupling are for the effective field theory description is discussed. It is found that a tree level analysis yields predictions which are inside the allowed regions of the cosmological parameters given by the Planck experiment. The large value of the nonminimal coupling leads to unitarity problems for this model of inflation.  However quantum effects will have a significant effect and how they modify the results of the tree level analysis is what decides if Higgs inflation is a viable theory. / I detta projekt undersöker vi en modell av kosmisk inflation där Higgsfältet med en ickeminimal koppling till tyngdkraften är mekanismen bakom inflation. Vi utför en klassisk analys och beräknar modellens föresägelser för ett antal kosmologiska parametrar som jämförs med Planck experimentet. Vi uppskattar värdet på den ickeminimala kopplingen $\xi$ och finner att $\xi \sim 10^4$. De grundläggande aspekterna bakom kvantanalysen samt vad effekten av den ickeminimala kopplingen har på beskrivningen i termer av en effektiv fältteori diskuteras. Vi finner att en klassisk analys ger förutsägelser som passar väl med Planckexperimentet men att den ickeminimala kopplingen leder till unitaritetsproblem för denna modell av inflation. Kvanteffekter kan dock ha en avsevärd effekt på resultat och en utförlig analys som tar dem till hänsyn krävs för att avgöra om Higgsinflation är en möjlig modell för inflation.

CoordenaÃÃo de AperfeiÃoamento de Pessoal de NÃvel Superior / A avaliaÃÃo dos efeitos da inflaÃÃo na Variabilidade de PreÃos Relativos (VPR) à uma fonte de subsÃdios aos formuladores de polÃtica econÃmica no que se refere à tomada de aÃÃes preventivas contra possÃveis pressÃes inflacionÃrias, minimizando os custos em termos de variaÃÃo do produto e do emprego. Dessa forma, este trabalho visa verificar empiricamente o impacto da adoÃÃo de metas para inflaÃÃo (MI) na relaÃÃo entre inflaÃÃo e VPR na economia brasileira, durante o perÃodo de 1995 a 2012. Seguindo evidÃncias da literatura, foram estimados modelos onde tal relaÃÃo assume a forma linear com quebras estruturais e a forma quadrÃtica a fim de testar qual deles melhor se ajusta aos dados brasileiros. Baseado em Bai e Perron (1998, 2003), os modelos de regressÃo foram estimados tratando as datas de quebras como variÃveis desconhecidas, obtidas endogenamente, em julho de 1998 e novembro de 2002. Para o perÃodo analisado os resultados nÃo corroboram as evidÃncias do formato de U da relaÃÃo entre inflaÃÃo e VPR, sendo que o efeito marginal da inflaÃÃo sobre a VPR à positivo, embora sua magnitude seja reduzida apÃs a adoÃÃo das metas e ainda mais apÃs o ganho de credibilidade referente ao cumprimento das mesmas. Adicionalmente observou-se que a relaÃÃo entre a inflaÃÃo esperada e a VPR se enfraqueceu apÃs a adoÃÃo das metas, enquanto a inflaÃÃo nÃo esperada somente se tornou significativa a partir da adoÃÃo desta polÃtica. / The assessment of the inflation effects on the Relative Price Variability (RPV) is a source of subsidies for economic policymakers when it comes to taking preventive measures against possible inflationary pressures, thus minimizing the costs in terms of product variation and employment. Once exposed that, this work aims to empirically investigate the effects of inflation targeting (IT) adoption on the relationship between inflation and RPV in the Brazilian economy from 1995 to 2012. Based on the literature, two models were estimated in order to test which one best fits in the Brazilian data. In the first one, the relationship takes the linear shape, while in the other it is U-shaped. Following Bai and Perron (1998, 2003), the regression models were estimated treating the dates of breaks as unknown variable, which were endogenously obtained in July of 1998 and November of 2002. In the period analyzed, the results do not corroborate the evidence of the U-shaped relation between inflation and RPV, once the marginal effect of inflation on the RPV is positive, although its magnitude is reduced after the adopting of IT and even more after the adoption of measures that gave credibility to comply with them. Additionally it was observed that the expected inflation had its effect reduced on RPV after the IT adoption, while the unexpected inflation only becomes significant after the adoption of this policy.