This dissertation consists of three essays. Chapter II examines the possibleasymmetric response of gasoline prices to crude oil price changes using an errorcorrection model with GARCH errors. Recent papers have looked at this issue. Some ofthese papers estimate a form of error correction model,...

The slow recovery following the 2008/2009 recession has led to renewed interest in the question whether deep recessions lower real GDP permanently or whether we can expect a rebound to earlier trend levels. Using a recent quantile autoregression unit root test we check whether shocks to real GDP...

This paper proposes an original three-part sequential testing procedure (STP), with which to test for contagion using a multivariate model. First, it identifies structural breaks in the volatility of a given set of countries. Then a structural break test is applied to the correlation matrix to...

Der Agrarsektor spielt eine wichtige Rolle in lateinamerikanischen Wirtschaftssystemen, er beinhaltet bis zu 23 Prozent des BIP (z.B. in Guatemala und Nicaragua). Natürlich ist er auch sehr wichtig für den Arbeitsmarkt, das Einkommen der ärmsten Menschen und die Ernährungssicherung. Die...

This dissertation consists of three essays pertaining to the causes of the levels and composition of the international trade flows of nations, and the consequential implications for the levels of per capita income and welfare of their populations. The first of these documents a pattern of...