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International trade price stickiness and exchange rate pass-through in micro data: a case study on U.S.–China trade

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  • Mina Kim
  • Deokwoo Nam
  • Jian Wang
  • Jason J. Wu

Abstract

Price-setting behavior of exporters and exchange rate pass-through (ERPT) are crucial issues in international macroeconomics. This paper studies these topics, using a novel dataset of goods-level US-China trade prices collected by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics. We document that the duration of U.S.?China trade prices has declined almost 30 percent since China began appreciating its currency in 2005. A benchmark menu cost model that is calibrated to the data can replicate the documented decrease in price stickiness. We also estimate ERPT of RMB appreciation into U.S. import prices between 2005 and 2008. The lifelong ERPT is close to one for prices that have at least one change, while the pass-through is less than half when all goods are included. The difference in pass-through rates is a result of about one third of the goods never experiencing a price change.

Suggested Citation

  • Mina Kim & Deokwoo Nam & Jian Wang & Jason J. Wu, 2013. "International trade price stickiness and exchange rate pass-through in micro data: a case study on U.S.–China trade," Globalization Institute Working Papers 135, Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas.
    • Handle: RePEc:fip:feddgw:135
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    Cited by:

    1. Raphael A. Auer, 2015. "Exchange Rate Pass‐Through, Domestic Competition, and Inflation: Evidence from the 2005–08 Revaluation of the Renminbi," Journal of Money, Credit and Banking, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 47(8), pages 1617-1650, December.
    2. Jian Wang, 2014. "Understanding Trade, Exchange Rates and International Capital Flows," Annual Report, Globalization and Monetary Policy Institute, Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, pages 10-15.
    3. Jihyun Eum, 2019. "Impact of Chinese Renminbi on Korean Exports: Does Quality Matter?," Working Papers 2019-24, Economic Research Institute, Bank of Korea.
    4. Mark A. Wynne, 2012. "Five Years of Research on Globalization and Monetary Policy: What Have We Learned?," Annual Report, Globalization and Monetary Policy Institute, Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, pages 2-17.
    5. Mina Kim, 2016. "Interactions Between Exchange Rates and Import Prices: What Have We Learned?," Annual Report, Globalization and Monetary Policy Institute, Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, pages 26-31.
    6. Sheng Wang & Rufei Guo, 2016. "Asymmetric Exchange Rate Pass-through and Monetary Policy in Open Economy," Annals of Economics and Finance, Society for AEF, vol. 17(1), pages 33-53, May.
    7. Mees, Heleen & Franses, Philip Hans, 2014. "Are individuals in China prone to money illusion?," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 51(C), pages 38-46.
    8. Li, Hongbin & Ma, Hong & Xu, Yuan, 2015. "How do exchange rate movements affect Chinese exports? — A firm-level investigation," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 97(1), pages 148-161.

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