This paper considers the linkages between output growth and output volatility for the sample of G7 countries over the period 1958M2-2011M7, thereby paying particular attention to spillovers within and between countries. Using the VAR-based spillover index approach by Diebold and Yilmaz (2012), we identify several empirical regularities: i) output growth and volatility are highly intertwined, with spillovers taking place into all four directions; ii) the importance of spillovers has increased after the mid 1980s and reached unprecedented levels during the recent financial and economic crisis; iii) the US has been the largest transmitter of output and volatility shocks to other countries. Generalized impulse response analyses point to moderate growth-growth spillovers and sizable volatility-volatility spillovers across countries, suggesting that volatility shocks quintuplicate in the long run. The cross-variable effects turn out negative: volatilty shocks lead to lower economic growth, growth shocks tend to reduce output volatility. Our findings underline the increased vulnerability of the G7 countries to destabilizing shocks and their detrimental effects on economic growth, which are sizeably amplified through international spillover effects and the associated repercussions. / Series: Department of Economics Working Paper Series

本研究之宗旨在於探究中國大陸對亞洲區域內國家的金融市場影響程度之變化。由過去的各國股市日報酬率資料間相關程度與政策改變間的影響結果，來觀察是否未來在兩岸政策更開放下會使中國大陸對台灣的影響程度上升，進而使國際間投資組合的風險分散效果下降。本研究自DataStream選取台灣、香港、中國大陸、泰國、印尼、新加坡、馬來西亞、菲律賓、日本以及美國等十國的股價指數日資料，以對數轉換為日報酬率後年化加以分析。選取時間自1991年7月15日(中國大陸上海證券交易所股價指數公開後)至2008年12月31日。本研究選用的方法為使用風險值(VaR; Value at Risk)的概念來取代傳統的標準差，衡量以該十國所分別組成的各投資組合風險值變動情形；以及由風險值所衍生出的Diversification Benefit與Incremental VaR的結果。發現到僅由亞洲區域國家內組成的投資組合風險分散效果逐漸下降；且效果並不如有納入區域外國家(如美國)的投資組合。接著本研究將Gaussian Copula模型放入VaR中以增加對極端值的捕捉能力，結果發現本研究所選用的指數加權移動平均法所求得之相關係數已可有效反應出各國之間的相依程度，即加入Copula的效果有限。另外藉由Copula所求得之相關係數顯示，台灣、香港對中國大陸之間的相依程度已逐漸上升，並開始出現超越美國之現象，其中又以2005年為上升趨勢的起點。最後本研究以向量自我迴歸模型(VARs)來驗證2005年前後中國大陸股市對其他亞洲區域國家的影響力是否存在結構性的改變；並再佐以變異數拆解之方法來觀察2005年前後各國家之間自發性衝擊對彼此之間的影響程度變化。研究結果發現，透過VARs可證明中國大陸對亞洲區域各國的影響力在2005年後轉變為顯著；僅對美國不存在此一現象。另外變異數拆解的結果也顯示各國之間的相依程度在2005年後有明顯的上升，中國大陸對各國的影響程度亦然。透過本研究之結論，在未來兩岸將簽訂金融監理備忘錄使整合關係提升的環境下，需提醒投資人整合關係的上升將使得以之為標的之投資組合風險分散效果下降，需作為投資策略之考量。 / The object of this research is to find out the trend of dependence and correlation between China and other Asian countries. Based on past information about the relationship between equity markets’ correlation and changes in policies, this research can make suggestions to the foreseeable future of Taiwan and China whose relationship will be more solid due to new policy. The data of this research are gathered from DataStream, which includes Taiwan, Hong Kong, China, Thailand, Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, Philippines, Japan and United States. Selected from 1991/07/15 (when the Shanghai SE Composite went public) to 2008/12/31, this research calculates the annualized daily return using natural logarithms of two consecutive daily index prices. This research uses Value at Risk (VaR) to measure the risk exposure of portfolios formed by ten countries, and extends to the use of Diversification Benefit and Incremental VaR. The results found out that the diversification effects of portfolio which includes only Asian countries are decreasing and inferior to the effects when cross region countries are included. The second study of this research is to combine Gaussian Copula Model with VaR to capture the effects of extreme values. Empirical results found out that the VaR using Exponentially Weighted Moving Average method is good enough for analyzing Asian stock markets. The correlation in Copula model suggests that the dependence between Taiwan and China had increased since 2005 and has the increasing trend which might overwhelm the dependence between Taiwan and United States. Final research is about using Vector Autoregressions Model (VARs) to testify is there exist any structural change of dependence before and after 2005, and using Variance Decomposition to observe the relationships between these ten countries. The results found out that there exist structural change in 2005, the post-2005 periods shows that for Asian countries the effect from China are significant and greater than pre-2005 periods.

Abstract of thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Commerce and Management Dynamics of macroeconomic variables in Fiji : a cointegrated VAR analysis By Shiu Raj Singh The objective of this study is to examine how macroeconomic variables of Fiji inter-relate with aggregate demand and co-determine one another using a vector autoregression (VAR) approach. This study did not use a prior theoretical framework but instead used economic justification for selection of variables. It was found that fiscal policy, which is generally used as a stabilisation tool, did not have a positive effect on real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth in the short term. Effects on GDP growth were positive over the long term but not statistically significant. Furthermore, expansionary fiscal policy caused inflationary pressures. Fiji has a fixed exchange rate regime, therefore, it was expected that the focus of monetary policy would be the maintenance of foreign reserves. It was, however, found that monetary expansion in the short term resulted in positive effects on real GDP growth and resulted in inflation. The long term effects of monetary policy on real GDP growth were negative, which are explained by the fixed exchange rate regime, endogenous determination of money supply by the central bank, an unsophisticated financial market and, perhaps, an incomplete transmission of the policy. Both merchandise trade and visitor arrivals growth were found to positively contribute to short term and long term economic growth. Political instability was found not to have significant direct effects on real GDP growth but caused a significant decline in visitor arrivals which then negatively affected economic growth in the short term.

本文是探討管理浮動匯率時期（1978年第三季至1993年第三季），台灣地區經常帳盈餘發生的原因，同時考慮匯率因素、貨幣市場及商品與勞務市場吸納的情況。利用兩個向量自迴歸模型，分別納入：(1)匯率、利率、經常帳、消費節約及貨幣供給，(2)匯率、利率、經常帳、財政盈餘及貨幣供給，藉由因果關係檢定、預測誤差分解、及衝擊反應，分析經常帳失衡的原因。 　　實証結果指出：台灣地區經常帳盈餘，深受匯率、財政盈餘及消費節約的影響，這個結論與我國低估幣值與出口拓展的政策一致。且經常帳盈餘並不能夠顯著的影響貨幣供給，這個結論與央行沖銷的措施一致，其目的無非是要隔離國外部門影響國內貨幣。足見自由化的匯率政策，不但讓匯率反應出合理的水準值，同時可追求獨立的貨幣政策，配合著獎勵投資、消費及增加公共支出，增加國內吸納，藉以減少鉅幅的經常帳盈餘。

The contribution of this thesis is to build a small macro-econometric model of the Namibian economy, which demonstrates that there is significant statistical support for the hypothesis that there is a contemporaneous relationship between real wage, productivity, unemployment and interest rates in Namibia. This phenomenon has not yet been exploited using macro-econometric modelling, and thus, represents a significant contribution to modelling literature in Namibia. The determination of the sources of unemployment also receives special attention given that high unemployment is a chronic problem in Namibia. All models specified and estimated in the study use the SVAR methodology for the period 1980 to 2013. The study develops a small macro-econometric model using three modular experiments, which include, a basic model, models that separately append demand and exchange rate channels variables to the basic model, and the specification of a small macro-econometric model. The ultimate aim is to find out if monetary policy plays a role in influencing labour market and nominal variables. The hypothesis that the basic real wage, productivity, unemployment rate and interest rate system can be estimated simultaneously is validated. Further, demand and exchange rate channels variables are found to have important additional information, which explains the monetary transmission process, and that shocks to labour market variables affect monetary policy in Namibia. The results also show that the demand channel (import prices and bank credit to the private sector) and the exchange rate channel (nominal exchange rate) variables have important additional information, which affects monetary transmission process in Namibia, which justifies their inclusion in the small macro-econometric model. In addition, shocks to the import price and exchange rate in the macro-econometric model significantly affect labour market variables. However, shocks to bank credit only partially perform as expected, implying that its results need to be considered cautiously. The study further finds that tight monetary policy shocks significantly affect real and nominal variables in Namibia. The results also show that shocks to all variables in the unemployment model significantly affect unemployment, suggesting that the hysteresis assumption is corroborated. This implies that long run aggregate demand is non-neutral in Namibia. / Economics / D. Litt. et Phil. (Economics)