Journal of Money & Economy
Volume:11 Issue: 4, Fall 2016

Some empirical and theoretical studies have emphasized on fixed exchange rate regime in controlling time inconsistency, while others consider the role of target zone regime as an important factor. Thus there is no general consensus to decide which exchange rate regime may bring about less time-inconsistency. The main purpose of this study is to investigate policy time-inconsistency in exchange rate regimes of Iran (controlled exchange regime between 1991-2001 and managed Floating between 2002-2012). For this purpose, a fuzzy prediction system is used which includes three steps for estimating time-inconsistency. In the first step, fuzzy C-Means is used to calculate membership functions. Then Takagi Sugeno Model (TSM) is applied to identify the model structure, and finally Recursive Least Squares (RLS) is conducted to estimate the amount of time-inconsistency. The results show that the amount of policy time inconsistency under managed Floating exchange rate regime is less than controlled exchange rate regime. Thus it is suggested to policy makers to continue managed Floating exchange rate regime, so that the fluctuations of output decreases. At the same time, since managed Floating exchange rate regime imposes more price fluctuation on economy it is necessary for the policy makers to pay enough attention to the issue.

Increasing economy’s resistance against the menace of sanctions, various risks, shocks, and internal and external threats are one of the main national policies which can be implemented through bank investments. Investment project selection is a complex and multi-criteria decision-making process that is influenced by multiple and often some conflicting objectives. This paper studies portfolio investment decisions in Iranian Banks. The main contribution of this paper is the creation of a project portfolio selection model that facilitates how Iranian banks would make investment decisions on proposed projects to satisfy bank profit maximization and risk minimization, while focus on national policies such as Resistance Economy Policies. The considered problem is formulated as a multi-objective integer programming model. A framework called Multi-Objective Electromagnetism-like (MOEM) algorithm, is developed to solve this NP-hard problem. To further enhance MOEM, a local search heuristic based on simulated annealing is incorporated in the algorithm. In order to demonstrate the efficiency and reliability of the proposed algorithm, a number of test are performed. The MOEM results are compared with two well-known multi-objective genetic algorithms in the literature, i.e. Non-dominated Sorting Genetic Algorithm (NSGA-II) and Strength Pareto Evolutionary Algorithm (SPEA-II) based on some comparison metrics. Also, these algorithms are compared with an integer linear programming formulation for small instances. Computational experiments indicate the superiority of the MOEM over existing algorithms.

This paper examines downward price rigidity in Iranian house market and discusses whether this characteristic would result in an asymmetric relationship between house price and monetary policy. To test the downward house price rigidity the threshold GARCH model is employed. The asymmetric adjustment to monetary policy is examined using the asymmetric cointegration and error correction models. The results indicate the presence of the downward house price rigidity in Iranian house market. Moreover, house price are asymmetrically adjusted to monetary policy such that it is increased to reflect a loose monetary policy whereas displayed a large amount of persistency following a tight monetary policy. The results imply that house price tend to overreact in upturns and underreact in downturns reaffirming the downward house price rigidity in Iran. Hence, the government should consider the asymmetric house price adjustment when implementing relevant policies for the house market to avoid the creation of a bubble or the collapse of the house market.

Volatility of exchange rate while changes from time to time, is expected to affect firm level operations as well as aggregate level outcomes i.e. macroeconomic performance. This paper, investigates the effects of exchange rate volatility on aggregate production in Iran using a Structural Vector Auto Regressive model with Exogenous Variables (SVARX). The model is estimated based on macroeconomic data during 1990q2-2015q1. Impulse response functions show that realization of a positive shock to the exchange rate volatility-measured by quarterly coefficient of variation derived from daily exchange rate data set rather than common GARCH-based measures- is associated with a significant production drop. These results are robust in reference to changing output measures. We also provide some necessary sensitivity analysis to check robustness of the results with respect to recursive restrictions which are imposed to identify the structural model. After all this robustness checks the model confirmed negative effect of exchange rate volatility on output in Iran's economy. Furthermore, the results show that CPI and exchange rate will significantly increase when exchange rate volatility rises while import declines.

The purpose of this study is to investigate the causal relationship between the structure and performance in the banking industry of Iran. In doing so, the data and information of public and private banks from 1996 to 2015 is examined using Toda-Yamamoto causality test (TY) and Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) approach. Herfindahl-Hirschman index (HHI) (the degree of market concentration) trend shows that over the last two decades, the degree of concentration has reduced. In other words, the structure of banking industry has moved away from monopoly conditions towards competitive markets. The degree of profitability and the ratio of net return on assets (ROA) are used for the performance of banking industry. According to the results, the banks' profitability rate has been increasing over the years under study. The results of Toda-Yamamoto causality test (TY) and Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) approach also show that in the banking industry of Iran, both in the short term and long term, there is a one-way causal relationship from performance to structure. In other words, the structuralist theory of the banking industry of Iran is not approved and the Chicago School theory of the causal relationship between performance and structure cannot be rejected.

Letter of Credit is an international payment instrument whereby the issuing bank undertakes to pay the beneficiary, against presentation of certain stipulated documents, according to the conditions of the Letter of Credit. Discounting of LC for the short-term financing of the seller, due to the independent and irrevocable undertaking of the bank to make payment, is prevalent. Beneficiary gets the amount of the credit immediately (after discount rate deduction) in consideration of the assignment of the credit in discounting practice. Now, the main question is: how will the assignment of rights and proceeds under the Letter of Credit be executable and what will be its consequences? Hence, by surveying different methods of assignment of rights in accordance with LC, we study discounting Acceptance and Deferred Payment LCs as two kinds of deferred LCs. In discounting practices of LCs, if a fraud being discovered after the discounting transaction but before the payment due date, the discounting bank would be able to recover payment from issuing bank or confirming bank. According to our analysis, the most promising way for the assignment of rights and reducing the risk of discounting for the discounting bank is "Negotiation" of LC. Acceptance LC makes a favorable opportunity for discounting purposes because it includes bill of exchange as a negotiable instrument, and there is an organized secondary market for Acceptances.