Price regulation and relative price convergence: Evidence from the retail gasoline market in Canada

Suvankulov, Farrukh, Lau, Chi Keung and Ogucu, Fatma (2012) Price regulation and relative price convergence: Evidence from the retail gasoline market in Canada. Energy Policy, 40. pp. 325-334. ISSN 0301-4215

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Abstract

This paper explores price regulation and relative price convergence in the Canadian retail gasoline market. We use monthly data (2000–2010) on retail gasoline prices in 60 Canadian cities to investigate (i) whether the retail gasoline market in Canada has experienced a relative price convergence to the mean, which is expected, given the increased economic integration across Canadian provinces; and (ii) whether the introduction of price regulation mechanisms in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia in July 2006 had any impact on the price convergence in these provinces.

We use a nonlinear panel unit root test and find solid evidence that Canadian retail gasoline markets are well integrated across locales; however, the share of converging cities reveals a significant decline since July of 2006. The impact of price regulation on price convergence is mixed; our results indicate that since the enactment of the regulation in all New Brunswick cities (9) included in the dataset, gasoline prices converge to the national mean. Volatility of price is also significantly reduced. In contrast, in the wake of price regulation in Nova Scotia, all 6 cities of the province are non-convergent to the mean with increased volatility and overall price level.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Gasoline prices, price convergence, law of one price
Subjects:	N100 Business studies N300 Finance
Department:	Faculties > Business and Law > Newcastle Business School
Depositing User:	Ellen Cole
Date Deposited:	28 Aug 2013 10:32
Last Modified:	19 Nov 2019 09:52
URI:	http://nrl.northumbria.ac.uk/id/eprint/13406

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