Market: An Empirical Analysis
by
Rafael A. Tenorio
DePaul University
Abstract
Revenue-equivalence of competitive and discriminatory formats is
a major result for private-value multi-unit auctions with risk-neutral
bidders. Among the factors that may cause this result to break down, the
most notorious ones are risk-aversion, value-affiliation, and endogenous
bidder participation. Using data from competitive and discriminatory auctions
undertaken in the Zambian foreign exchange market, I analyze revenue-equivalence
and other bidding phenomena. The results indicate that (i) competitive
auctions were revenue-superior due to higher participation; (ii) high bidders
adjusted with delay to an auction format change; and (iii) a reservation
bid was used as a policy instrument.
JEL Code: D44