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Multilateral Index Number Systems for International Price Comparisons: Properties, Existence and Uniqueness

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  • Gholamreza Hajargasht
  • Prasada Rao
Abstract
Over the past five decades a number of multilateral index number systems have been proposed for spatial and cross-country price comparisons. These multilateral indexes are usually expressed as solutions to systems of linear or nonlinear equations. In this paper, we provide general theorems that can be used to establish necessary and sufficient conditions for the existence and uniqueness of the Geary-Khamis, IDB, Neary and Rao indexes as well as potential new systems including two generalized systems of index numbers. One of our main results is that the necessary and sufficient conditions for existence and uniqueness of solutions can often be stated in terms of graph-theoretic concepts and a verifiable condition based on observed quantities of commodities.

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  • Gholamreza Hajargasht & Prasada Rao, 2018. "Multilateral Index Number Systems for International Price Comparisons: Properties, Existence and Uniqueness," Papers 1811.04197, arXiv.org, revised Dec 2018.
    • Handle: RePEc:arx:papers:1811.04197
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    1. Sebastian Weinand, 2022. "Measuring spatial price differentials at the basic heading level: a comparison of stochastic index number methods," AStA Advances in Statistical Analysis, Springer;German Statistical Society, vol. 106(1), pages 117-143, March.
    2. Hajargasht, Gholamreza & Prasada Rao, D.S. & Valadkhani, Abbas, 2019. "Reliability of basic heading PPPs," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 180(C), pages 102-107.

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    JEL classification:

    • E31 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Prices, Business Fluctuations, and Cycles - - - Price Level; Inflation; Deflation
    • C19 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Econometric and Statistical Methods and Methodology: General - - - Other

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