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Profit Margins in Mexico's Manufacturing Industry: an Econometric Study
Author(s) -
Lopez G. Julio,
Puchet A. Martin,
Sanchez H. Joel
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
metroeconomica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.256
H-Index - 29
eISSN - 1467-999X
pISSN - 0026-1386
DOI - 10.1111/1467-999x.00082
Subject(s) - economics , profit margin , openness to experience , profit rate , manufacturing , profit (economics) , econometric model , monetary economics , labour economics , microeconomics , econometrics , business , psychology , social psychology , finance , marketing
Prices, wages and profit margins in Mexico have varied considerably. The purpose of this study is to analyze the evolution of profit margins in the Mexican manufacturing industry during the last two decades and to provide an explanation for the changes. The econometric study shows that surges in the exchange rate provoke increases in prices, both because imported input costs rise and because pressures from foreign competition are relaxed when domestic prices of imported goods rise. A second factor influencing margins is trade openness. Third, the level of profit margins also depends positively on the level of labor costs. An increase in labor costs tends to be passed along in a more than proportional manner to prices. Finally, an increase in interest rates seems to stimulate increases in profit margins, at least in some manufacturing divisions.