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Investment Responses to Trade Liberalization: Evidence from U.S. Industries and Plants

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  • Justin R. Pierce
  • Peter K. Schott

Abstract

This paper examines the effect of a change in U.S. trade policy on the domestic investment of U.S. manufacturers. Using a difference-in-differences identification strategy, we find that industries more exposed to reductions in import tariff uncertainty exhibit relative declines in investment after the change in trade policy. Within industries, we find that this relationship is concentrated among establishments with low initial levels of labor productivity, capital intensity and skill intensity. Plants with high initial levels of skill intensity, by contrast, exhibit relative increases in investment with exposure. We also find evidence that establishments' investment activity is smoother following the policy change.

Suggested Citation

  • Justin R. Pierce & Peter K. Schott, 2017. "Investment Responses to Trade Liberalization: Evidence from U.S. Industries and Plants," NBER Working Papers 24071, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    • Handle: RePEc:nbr:nberwo:24071
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

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    2. Andrew N. Greenland & Mihai Ion & John W. Lopresti & Peter K. Schott, 2020. "Using Equity Market Reactions to Infer Exposure to Trade Liberalization," NBER Working Papers 27510, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    3. Macartney, Hugh & Nielsen, Eric & Rodriguez, Viviana, 2021. "Unequal worker exposure to establishment deaths," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 73(C).

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • E22 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Consumption, Saving, Production, Employment, and Investment - - - Investment; Capital; Intangible Capital; Capacity
    • F1 - International Economics - - Trade
    • F13 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Trade Policy; International Trade Organizations
    • F14 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Empirical Studies of Trade
    • F4 - International Economics - - Macroeconomic Aspects of International Trade and Finance

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