Econometrics of Markets and Competition

This course teaches students how to build econometric models from economic theory to investigate how markets operate, and evaluate policy-relevant questions. Applications of econometric tools developed in this course will be highlighted in various fields of economics including industrial organisation, public economics, health, and others. Examples of topics covered include: firms' use of price discrimination as a profit-maximising strategy; measuring the welfare effects of mergers for antitrust analysis; identifying strategic interaction amongst governments and its impact on policy decisions; and quantifying moral hazard and adverse selection in health insurance markets. Basic topics in numerical analysis will also be covered, including optimisation, numerical integration, and numerical differentiation.