Estimation of the Near Unit Root Model of Real Exchange Rates

Author/Editor:

C. John McDermott

Publication Date:

May 1, 1996

Disclaimer: This Working Paper should not be reported as representing the views of the IMF.The views expressed in this Working Paper are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent those of the IMF or IMF policy. Working Papers describe research in progress by the author(s) and are published to elicit comments and to further debate

Summary:

The time-series properties of real exchange rates, on a number of definitions, for 22 industrial countries during 1979-95 were used to re-examine whether PPP holds. It is shown that if real exchange rates reverted to a constant mean slowly, say by five percent a month, then at standard levels of significance we should expect 11 of the 22 series examined to yield evidence of mean reversion and to reject that hypothesis of a unit root. Using models that imply a constant unconditional mean or trend-stationary productivity changes, we find that only one of the 22 real exchange rates shows evidence against unit roots. This low rate of rejection of unit roots in real exchange rates can be construed as evidence against PPP.

Series:

Working Paper No. 1996/050

Subject:

Exchange rates Foreign exchange Labor Labor costs Purchasing power parity Real effective exchange rates Real exchange rates

English

Publication Date:

May 1, 1996

ISBN/ISSN:

9781451846928/1018-5941

Stock No:

WPIEA0501996

Pages:

32

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