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Do Higher Markups Lower Labor’s Share of Income?

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Abstract

Higher price markups are typically associated with larger profits at the expense of labor's share of income. In this Economic Commentary, we challenge this view. The key to our argument is the reallocation of market shares toward labor-intensive firms, a reallocation caused by an increase in the prices of capital goods as a result of higher markups.

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  • Barış Kaymak & Immo Schott, 2024. "Do Higher Markups Lower Labor’s Share of Income?," Economic Commentary, Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland, vol. 2024(02), pages 1-6, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:fip:fedcec:97722
    DOI: 10.26509/frbc-ec-202402
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Daron Acemoglu & Pascual Restrepo, 2019. "Automation and New Tasks: How Technology Displaces and Reinstates Labor," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 33(2), pages 3-30, Spring.
    2. Barış Kaymak & Immo Schott, 2023. "Corporate Tax Cuts and the Decline in the Manufacturing Labor Share," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 91(6), pages 2371-2408, November.
    3. Hopenhayn, Hugo & Rogerson, Richard, 1993. "Job Turnover and Policy Evaluation: A General Equilibrium Analysis," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 101(5), pages 915-938, October.
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