This paper presents a maximum likelihood panel test of the cointegrating rank in heterogeneous panel models based on the mean of the individual rank trace statistics. The existence of the first two moments of the asymptotic distribution of the individual trace statistic is established. Based on...

This paper develops an improved test of economic convergence or divergence using time series methods. The usefulness of the method is illustrated in an analysis of the growth pattern between Chinese regions in 1952-2007. Comparing all combinations of regional pairs, the analysis yields support...