Chain Indices Of The Cost Of Living And The Path-Dependence Problem: An Empirical Solution
- Topics:
- Organization
- Tags:
- Finance,
- Indice,
- Operational Accounting
FREE Registration is required
Overview: This paper proposes an empirically feasible method for correcting the path-dependence bias of chain indices of the cost of living. Chain indices are discrete approximations to Divisia indices and it is well known that the latter are path-dependent: the level of a Divisia index is affected not just by the level of prices at the two endpoints but also by the path between the endpoints. It is also well-known that a Divisia index of the cost of living is path-independent if and only if all income elasticities are equal to one, a restriction that is decisively rejected by studies of consumer demand. In theory, the true cost of living index (or Konus price index) could be derived by estimating the expenditure function.
(Is this item miscategorized? Does it need more tags? Let us know.)
Format: PDF | Size: 584KB | Date: May 2007 | Pages: 38






