In this article, we examine linkages across non-energy commodity price developments by means of a factor-augmented VAR model (FAVAR). From a set of non-energy commodity price series, we extract two factors, which we identify as common trends in metals and food prices. These factors are included...

A common finding in the empirical literature on the validity of purchasing power parity (PPP) is that it holds when tested for in panel data, but not in univariate (i.e. country-specific) analysis. The usual explanation for this mismatch is that panel tests for unit roots are more powerful than...

South Africa looks back to half a decade of fundamental changes: apartheid laws have been abolished, sanctions have been lifted and finally at the end of April 1994 the black South African majority was allowed to vote for the first time. How has the political and economic environment to be...