Entry and exit decisions with linear costs under uncertainty

From the viewpoint of stochastic programming, we rigorously analyse entry and exit decisions of a project which were proposed by Dixit [A. Dixit, Entry and exit decisions under uncertainty, J. Polit. Econ. 97 (1989), pp. 620–638]. In this article, instead of assuming that the costs are constant in classical research, we assume that they are linear with respect to the price of the commodity produced by the project. Under this assumption, we obtain a condition which guarantees that investing in the project is worthless; besides, the project may be terminated when the commodity price is greater than a certain value. In contrast, there are no such results provided that the costs are constant. Moreover, we provide an explicit solution of entry and exit decisions if the project is worthy to be invested in.     

Exchange rate uncertainty and employment: an algorithm describing ‘play’

The paper deals with the impacts of exchange rate uncertainty on the relationship between macroeconomic labour market variables. Under uncertainty, areas of weak reactions—so‐called ‘play’ areas—have to be considered at the macrolevel. The width of the play area is a positive function of the degree of uncertainty. When changes go beyond the play‐area suddenly strong reactions (‘spurts’) occur. These non‐linear dynamics are captured in a simplified linearized way. An algorithm describing linear play hysteresis is developed and implemented into a regression framework. As an empirical application, the exchange rate impacts on German employment are analysed considering play effects. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

需求和汇率风险下的全球供应链汇率风险对冲策略

在下游零售商同时面临市场需求风险和汇率风险的背景下,研究了汇率风险对冲(外汇期货对冲)策略在全球供应链运作及风险管理中的作用。在无/有对冲策略两种情形下分别构建了上游制造商和下游零售商的动态博弈模型,并求解了均衡结果。两种情形下的均衡结果显示,汇率风险对冲策略可以提高供应链系统订货量、增加零售商收益的期望值和确定性等价量、增加供应链系统的总收益。进一步讨论了有对冲策略的情形下,两类外生风险对供应链均衡决策变量和盈利性的影响方式。结果表明,汇率风险对冲策略对汇率风险起到了有效的隔离作用,避免了供应链下游的汇率风险向上游企业传递,并能实现供应链收益与风险的权衡。     

Exchange rate uncertainty and trade growth—a comparison of linear and non‐linear (forecasting) models

A huge body of empirical and theoretical literature has emerged on the relationship between foreign exchange (FX) uncertainty and international trade. Empirical findings about the impact of FX uncertainty on trade figures are at best weak and often ambiguous with respect to its direction. Almost all empirical contributions assume and estimate a linear relationship. Possible nonlinearity or state dependence of causal links between FX uncertainty and trade has been mostly ignored yet. In addition, widely used regression models have not been evaluated in terms of ex‐ante forecasting. In this paper we analyse the impact of FX uncertainty on sectoral categories of multilateral exports and imports for 15 industrialized economies. We particularly provide a comparison of linear and non‐linear models with respect to ex‐ante forecasting. In terms of average ranks of absolute forecast errors non‐linear models outperform both, a common linear model and some specification building on the assumption that FX uncertainty and trade growth are uncorrelated. Our results support the view that the relationship of interest might be non‐linear and, moreover, lacks of homogeneity across countries, economic sectors and when contrasting imports vs exports. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A systematic approach to pricing and hedging international derivatives with interest rate risk: analysis of international derivatives under stochastic interest rates

This paper deals with the valuation and the hedging of non-path-dependent European options on one or several underlying assets in a model of an international economy allowing for both, interest rate risk and exchange rate risk. Using martingale theory and, in particular, the change of numeraire technique we provide a unified and easily applicable approach to pricing and hedging exchange options on stocks, bonds, futures, interest rates and exchange rates. We also cover the pricing and hedging of compound exchange options.     

Empirical modelling of the DEM/USD and DEM/JPY foreign exchange rate: Structural shifts in GARCH‐models and their implications

We analyse daily changes of two log foreign exchange (FX) rates involving the Deutsche Mark (DEM) for the period 1975–1998, namely FX‐rates measured against the US dollar (USD) and the Japanese yen (JPY). To account for volatility clustering we fit a GARCH(1,1)‐model with leptokurtic innovations. Its parameters are not stable over the sample period and two separate variance regimes are selected for both exchange rate series. The identified points of structural change are close to a change of the monetary policies in the US and Japan, the latter of which is followed by a long period of decreasing asset prices. Having identified subperiods of homogeneous volatility dynamics we concentrate on stylized facts to distinguish these volatility regimes. The bottom level of estimated volatility turns out be considerably higher during the second part of the sample period for both exchange rates. A similar result holds for the average level of volatility and for implied volatility of heavily traded at the money options. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.