A Bridge on Economic Issues between China and the World
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Superstition Everywhere
Jinfan Zhang, Huancheng Du, Mar 09, 2022In Chinese culture, digit 8 (4) is taken as lucky (unlucky). We find that the numerological superstition has a profound impact across China’s stock, bond and foreign exchange markets, affecting asset prices in both the primary and secondary markets. The superstition effect, i.e., the probability of asset price ending with a lucky (unlucky) digit far exceeds (falls short of) what would be expected by chance, is everywhere.
Reluctant Entrepreneurs: Evidence from China’s SOE Reform
Hanming Fang, Ming Li, Zenan Wu, Yapei Zhang, Oct 09, 2023In this column, we examine how the presence of state-owned enterprises (SOE) affects the private sector by influencing the allocation of skills across SOEs, private sector waged employment and entrepreneurship.
Picking Winners? Government Subsidies and Firm Productivity in China
Lee G. Branstetter, Guangwei Li, Mengjia Ren, Jun 21, 2023We investigate the relationship between the allocation of government subsidies and total factor productivity for Chinese listed firms.
Tournament-Style Political Competition and Local Protectionism: Theory and Evidence from China
Hanming Fang, Ming Li, Zenan Wu, Feb 22, 2023Inter-jurisdictional competition in a regionally decentralized authoritarian regime distorts local politicians’ incentives in resource allocation among firms from their own city and a competing city.
Brain Drain to the State Sector: Job Preferences and Outcomes for China’s College Graduates
Hongbin Li, Lingsheng Meng, Yanyan Xiong, Sinclair Cook, Feb 28, 2024Despite private enterprises dominating China’s labor market, college-educated workers are still highly concentrated in the state sector. Using data from the Chinese College Student Survey, we find that 64% of students in the sample expressed a strong preference for state-sector employment.
