This study investigated the impact of import prices on inflation in Namibia, using quarterly time series data over the period 1998Q2-2017Q4. The variables used in the study are inflation rate, M2, real GDP and import prices. The study found that all the variables are integrated of order one (1), and upon testing for cointegration using Johansen test, there was no cointegration. Therefore, the model was analysed using ordinary least squares (OLS) techniques of vector autoregression (VAR) approach, granger causality test and the impulse response function. The results of the study revealed that import prices granger causes inflation at 1% level of significance. Inflation is also granger caused by real GDP and broad money supply (M2) does not Granger cause inflation. The study further revealed that the shocks to import prices are significant in explaining variation in inflation both in the short run and in the long term. / Economics / M. Com. (Economics)

Lam Man Kin, Wong Yim Pan. / Thesis (M.B.A.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1992. / Includes bibliographical references. / ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS --- p.ii / ABSTRACT --- p.iii / TABLE OF CONTENTS --- p.iv / LIST OF TABLES --- p.vi / LIST OF FIGURES --- p.vii / Chapter / Chapter I. --- INTRODUCTION --- p.1 / Chapter II. --- A BRIEF REVIEW OF THE MODELS FOR FOREIGN EXCHANGE DETERMINATION --- p.6 / Purchasing Power Parity --- p.6 / Flexible Price Monetary Model --- p.9 / Sticky Price Monetary Model -Exchange Rate Dynamics --- p.11 / Portfolio Balance Approach --- p.14 / Insights --- p.16 / Chapter III. --- THE LINKED EXCHANGE RATE SYSTEM --- p.18 / A Brief Historical Account --- p.18 / The Linked Exchange Rate System and Interest Rate --- p.19 / The Linked Exchange Rate System and Inflation Rate --- p.21 / The Pattern of Interest Rate Since Oct. 1983 --- p.22 / "The Pattern of Inflation Rate Since Oct., 1983" --- p.23 / "The Change of Real Exchange Rate Since Oct.,1983" --- p.23 / Chapter VI. --- METHODOLOGIES FOR THE EMPIRICAL STUDIES --- p.31 / The Data --- p.31 / Statistical Techniques --- p.32 / Models to be studied --- p.32 / Absolute PPP --- p.32 / Relative PPP --- p.33 / Augmented PPP Model --- p.34 / Hong Kong Inflation and US Inflation --- p.35 / Hong Kong Interest Rate and US Interest Rate --- p.36 / Interest Rate and Inflation Rate of Hong Kong --- p.36 / Chapter V. --- EMPIRICAL RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS --- p.38 / PPP Model --- p.38 / Absolute PPP --- p.38 / Relationship between Exchange Rate and Price Levels --- p.43 / Relative PPP --- p.43 / Inflations of Hong Kong and the US --- p.45 / Percentage change of exchange rate and inflation --- p.46 / Augmented PPP Model: Incorporate Interest Rates in PPP Model --- p.47 / Absolute PPP --- p.47 / Interest Rates and Short Term Fluctuation of Exchange Rate --- p.48 / Relative PPP --- p.49 / Interest Rates and the Percentage Change of Exchange Rate --- p.51 / Hong Kong Inflation and US Inflation --- p.51 / The Divergence of Two Inflation Rates --- p.52 / Hong Kong Interest Rate and US Interest Rate --- p.53 / Hong Kong Inflation and Hong Kong Interest Rates --- p.55 / Chapter VI. --- CONCLUSION --- p.57 / Limitations --- p.59 / APPENDIX / I --- p.61 / II --- p.67 / BIBLIOGRAPHY --- p.78

Lo, Kai Lisa. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2009. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 43-46). / Abstract also in Chinese. / Chapter 1. --- Introduction --- p.7 / Chapter 2. --- Literature Review --- p.10 / Chapter 3. --- Measuring the Labor Share with US Data --- p.14 / Chapter 3.1 --- Definition and Measurement --- p.14 / Chapter 3.2 --- Some Crude Evidence --- p.16 / Chapter 4. --- A Theoretical Relationship between Labor Share and Inflation in an Open Economy --- p.19 / Chapter 4.1 --- A Static Closed-economy Pricing Model --- p.20 / Chapter 4.2 --- Dynamic Model Based on Quadratic Adjustment Costs --- p.22 / Chapter 4.3 --- An Open-economy Dynamic Pricing Model --- p.30 / Chapter 5. --- An Empirical Investigation --- p.34 / Chapter 5.1 --- Data --- p.34 / Chapter 5.2 --- Estimation Results --- p.36 / Chapter 5.2.1 --- General Findings --- p.37 / Chapter 5.2.2 --- The Role of Adjustment Costs --- p.39 / Chapter 5.2.3 --- Predicting U.S. Inflation --- p.40 / Chapter 6. --- Conclusions --- p.42 / References --- p.43 / Figures and Tables --- p.47 / Data Appendix --- p.56

Wu, Zhouheng. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2009. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 44-46). / Abstract also in Chinese. / Chapter 1. --- Introduction --- p.1 / Chapter 2. --- Literature Review --- p.3 / Chapter 3. --- Overview of Key Factors that affect inflation in China --- p.6 / Chapter 3.1 --- Output Growth --- p.6 / Chapter 3.2 --- Money Supply --- p.7 / Chapter 3.3 --- Exchange Rate --- p.7 / Chapter 3.4 --- Wage --- p.8 / Chapter 3.5 --- Other Exogenous Shocks --- p.10 / Chapter 4. --- The Model --- p.11 / Chapter 4.1 --- Households --- p.12 / Chapter 4.2 --- Production Firms --- p.16 / Chapter 4.2.1 --- Non-Traded Sector --- p.16 / Chapter 4.2.2 --- Traded Sector --- p.19 / Chapter 4.3 --- Import Prices --- p.20 / Chapter 4.4 --- Monetary Policy Rules --- p.21 / Chapter 4.5 --- Domestic and External Shocks --- p.23 / Chapter 4.6 --- Market Clearing Conditions --- p.24 / Chapter 5. --- Calibration --- p.26 / Chapter 5.1 --- Calibration of parameter values --- p.26 / Chapter 5.2 --- Theoretical Impulse Responses and Variance Decomposition --- p.28 / Chapter 6. --- Model Fitness --- p.33 / Chapter 7. --- Conclusion Remarks --- p.35 / References --- p.38 / Appendix / Appendix A Equilibrium Conditions --- p.41 / Appendix B Steady State --- p.43 / Appendix C Simulation --- p.45 / Appendix D Data Description and Empirical Results --- p.56

published_or_final_version / abstract / Economics / Master / Master of Social Sciences

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2002. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Inflation has many negative effects and for this reason the South African Reserve Bank, like central banks in most countries, is strongly opposed to inflation and uses its monetary policy to combat it. This action is necessary for continued economic growth, prosperity and a fair distribution of income and wealth. Low inflation and a stable financial environment are important prerequisites for the achievement of these objectives on a long-term basis. In order to combat inflation in South Africa it was announced in the Budget Speech on the 23 February 2000, that a policy of inflation targeting would be implemented in South Africa. The objective is to bring inflation within the target band of three to six percent by the year 2002. Inflation targeting has been successful in helping New Zealand, Canada, Israel, the United Kingdom, Sweden, Australia and Spain achieve and maintain low rates of inflation. This does not mean, however, that inflation targeting has been implemented without incurring costs in lost output and employment, but there is no evidence that the adoption of inflation targets has produced harmful effects to the real economy over the long-term. Instead, the low inflation rates achieved in the inflation targeting countries have improved the prospects for sustainable longterm growth. However, inflation targeting is not appropriate for all countries. There are certain developing countries that do not meet the basic requirements for adopting inflation targeting. In this study the viability of implementing inflation targeting as a policy solution to combat inflation in South Africa is examined. In order to determine this, focus is placed on the key characteristics and features of inflation targeting. The reasons why countries have implemented inflation targeting are viewed and the prerequisites that must be met before inflation targeting can be implemented are discussed. The advantages and disadvantages of this approach are also highlighted. Furthermore, focus is placed on how inflation targeting has been implemented in some of the advanced economies in order to determine whether it can be successfully implemented in developing countries, and if so, in which developing countries. Finally equipped with an .understanding of the theoretical aspects of inflation targeting and drawing from the lessons of the international experiences, focus is placed on how viable it is to implement inflation targeting in South Africa. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Wêreldwyd neem Sentrale Banke van ontwikkelende lande, aktiewe stappe in die bekamping van inflasie. Die Suid Afrikaanse Reserwe Bank, net soos ander Sentrale Banke is ook gekant teen inflasie en maak gebruik van hulle monetêre beleid vir die bekamping van inflasie. Bekamping van inflasie is van kardinale belang om voortgesette ekonomiese groei, welvaart en 'n regverdige verspreiding van inkomste en rykdom te verseker. Lae inflasie en 'n stabiele finansiële omgewing is belangrike voorvereistes om hierdie finansiële doelwitte in die langtermyn te bereik. Ten einde inflasie in Suid Afrika te bekamp, het die Minister van Finansies in sy begrotingsrede van 23 Februarie 2000, aangekondig dat Suid Afrika 'n beleid van inflasie bekamping gaan implementeer. Die doelwit van so beleid sou wees om inflasie binne 'n drie tot ses persent teikenband te beperk teen die jaar 2002. Inflasie bekamping was suksesvol in die bekamping van inflasie in lande soos New Zealand, Kanada, Israel, Die Verenigde Koningkryk, Swede, Australia en Spanje, waar lae inflasie koerse behaal is en gehandhaaf word. Alhoewel 'n beleid van inflasie bekamping met indirekte koste en 'n verlies in produksie en werksgeleenthede gepaard gaan, is daar geen bewyse dat die implementering van inflasie teikens 'n wesenlike effek op die ekonomie in die langtermyn het nie. Inteendeel, lae inflasie in die teikengroep lande het verseker dat voortdurende ekonomiese groei oor die langtermyn gehandhaaf kon word. 'n Beleid van inflasie bekamping is nie wenslik vir alle lande nie. Daar is verskeie ontwikkelende lande wat nie aan die basiese voorvereistes vir die implementering van 'n beleid van inflasie bekamping voldoen nie. In hierdie studie word die wenslikheid, al dan nie vir die implementering van 'n beleid van inflasie bekamping, as 'n beleidsoplossing in die bekamping van inflasie in Suid Afrika ondersoek. Ten einde dit te bereik word die fokus op die hoof karaktertrekke en einskappe van inflasie bekamping geplaas. Die redes waarom lande inflasie bekamping implementeer, asook die voorvereistes waaraan voldoen moet word, alvorens 'n beleid van inflasie bekamping geimplementeer kan word, word bespreek. Die voor- en nadele van hierdie werkswyse word ook uitgelig. Voorts word gefokus op die implementering van inflasie bekamping in ontwikkelde ekonomieë, om te bepaal of dit op die ekonomieë van ontwikkelende lande toegepas kan word, en indien wel, watter ontwikkelende lande? Toegerus met 'n begrip van die teoretiese aspekte van inflasie bekamping, gepaardgaande met die internasionale ervarings, word daar gefokus op die wenslikheid, vir die implementering van 'n beleid van inflasie bekamping in Suid Afrika.

This study develops empirical models for comprehensive inflation effects on stock returns in the Japanese economic and financial framework. Basically these models deal with the two kinds of wealth effects and inflation risk premia. The wealth transfers are related to a tax system and other institutional constraints while the wealth-size effect is based on the more fundamental stock price determinant of the flows of earnings. The inflation risk premia are the additionally required part of returns due to relative uncertainties in common stock investment under unstable inflation. Based on the stock valuation theory and on the efficiency of stock markets, it is found that the net effect of wealth transfers appears in ex post stock returns if expected inflation shifts from one level to another. However, the effect of the inflation-caused wealth transfers will not appear in stock returns even in varying inflation if positive and negative wealth transfers are perfectly offset. The test result supports this offset. As the result of testing inflation risk premia, the stock market tends to compensate the premia of unstable inflation for investors. Finally the wealth-size effect relates anticipated real activity to inflation in monetary sector behaviors as well as anticipated real activity to stock returns in real sector behaviors. The intermediate variable to transmit inflation to stock returns is real activity. In this context, inflation is just the proxy for real activity which essentially determines firm values. Empirically the wealth-size effect is supported with the inverse relationship between inflation and real stock returns. For Japanese economy, however, the wealth-size effect is not explained by the standard theory of capital investment. Real activity is correlated to (profit) returns on existing capital but not related to corporate capital investment. Capital investment is independent of other real sector variables as well as inflation. The result is attributed to governmental policy and controls for corporate investment. Thus, the obtained relationship between stock returns and inflation includes less practical implication in investment behaviors.

The major economic policy issue of the 1980s is inflation. Although economists have been writing about inflation for several decades, little work has been done on the theory of inflation measurement. There is an extensive literature dealing with the statistical aspects of price indices and the inflation phenomenon. However, statistical discussions ignore the economic theory behind inflation measures and inflation discussions fail to address the practical aspect of measurement of inflation. This dissertation develops an inflation measure that overcomes these failings. By combining the principles of price formation found in microeconomic literature with the macroeconomic theory of inflation, an economically appropriate measure of inflation is presented. The measure adopts the Marshallian view that producers fix prices and vary output in response to market conditions. Recognizing that production takes time which leads to uncertainty about the forward delivery market, the measure stresses both labor and material input costs as the prime price determinants. Contracts fix these costs. Current or spot market demand influences prices only in the service sector. This influence is measured and added to the price forming factors determined in oligopoly, monopoly and competitive sectors. The four sectors are combined with a measure of government price influence to generate the measure of inflation. A highly stylized model of this measure is tested monthly for the 1965-78 period. The theoretical measure and the model results are then compared to conventional inflation measures. The CPI, GNP deflator and WPI are discussed and their problems as measures of inflation are assessed. The measure proposed and tested here eliminates much of the sampling bias, substitution bias, and quality bias plaguing the others. Being designed as a measure of inflation in the general price level, the proposed measure actually incorporates the broad economic base necessary for a macroeconomic measure. It provides a useful policy guide for inflation management and an appropriate measure of the policy's success.

M. Com. (Financial Economics) / The success of a monetary policy framework depends mostly on whether economic agents, especially the financial market participants, understand monetary policy decisions and are able to predict them in advance. Academics and practitioners agree that a successful Central Bank should be “boring” such that surprises about monetary policy should not arise in the announcements and the actions of the Bank, but rather in the macroeconomic developments. Thus policies that enhance clarity, transparency and communication between a Central Bank and the market can contribute to strengthening monetary policy predictability and improve the effectiveness of monetary policy itself. This dissertation assesses the predictability of the South African Reserve Bank’s (SARB) interest rate decisions since the adoption of the inflation targeting monetary policy framework in February 2000. Firstly, in order to evaluate predictability, money market forward rates are used to test whether the financial market is able to forecast the future level of policy rates, using the unbiased forward rate hypothesis. Then, using an event study methodology, changes in the money market forward rates following a monetary policy announcement are used to test whether the financial market participants were surprised by the SARB’s monetary policy decisions. The results of the unbiased forward rate hypothesis (UFRH) and the event study analysis indicate that, at least in the short term, specifically on a one-month-forward period, financial market participants have been able to predict the SARB’s monetary policy decisions with a high degree of accuracy. Moreover, the results of the event study analysis show that the South African financial market is at least semi-strong efficient, in the sense that monetary policy decisions are quickly incorporated in the market interest rates following the announcements. The event study analysis also provided some evidence that volatility in financial markets at the time of interest rate decisions has been declining over time.

This dissertation examines Cassell's theory of purchasing power parity within the context of post-World War II foreign exchange markets and government policies.