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Import licenses, intermediaries, and price pass-through: Evidence from the Chinese steel market

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  • Sun, Puyang
  • Ma, Kewei
  • Su, Li

Abstract

This study examines the impact of abolishing the exclusive license of importing iron ore on price pass-through in the Chinese steel market. We model the intermediate traders' role in alleviating market uncertainties, which have a critical impact on price pass-through. In addition, we leverage the monthly iron ore import prices and steel market prices in Chinese cities, and employ a difference-in-difference framework to empirically analyze the impact of the import license reform on price pass-through. We show that the reform on average reduces the price pass-through by 15 percentage points, which is around 3 points further in treated cities. Our findings imply the price pass-through hinges on market uncertainties, and the reform, although eliminating double marginalization, makes downstream steel producers have to face market uncertainties directly, and results in a lower price pass-through.

Suggested Citation

  • Sun, Puyang & Ma, Kewei & Su, Li, 2024. "Import licenses, intermediaries, and price pass-through: Evidence from the Chinese steel market," Journal of International Money and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 149(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jimfin:v:149:y:2024:i:c:s0261560624001967
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jimonfin.2024.103209
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Intermediate traders; Market uncertainty; Price pass-through;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • O13 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Agriculture; Natural Resources; Environment; Other Primary Products
    • Q31 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Nonrenewable Resources and Conservation - - - Demand and Supply; Prices
    • R11 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - General Regional Economics - - - Regional Economic Activity: Growth, Development, Environmental Issues, and Changes
    • L12 - Industrial Organization - - Market Structure, Firm Strategy, and Market Performance - - - Monopoly; Monopolization Strategies

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