The Nuevo Laredo maquiladora sector has grown enormously during the last two decades. The short-term time series characteristics of this portion of the regional economy are analyzed in an attempt to quantify the trends underlying this remarkable performance. Parameter estimation is accomplished via linear transfer function (LTF) analysis. Data are drawn from the January 1990-December 2000 sample period. Empirical results indicate that real wage rates, maquiladora plants, U.S. industrial activity, and the real exchange rate of the peso play significant roles in determining month-to-month fluctuations in maquiladora employment. Furthermore, sub-sample forecast simulation exercises are conducted as an additional means for verifying model reliability. Empirical results indicate that the forecasts generated with the LTF model are less accurate than those associated with a simple random walk procedure for twelve separate step-length periods. Copyright 2007 Blackwell Publishing.

Recent empirical research for municipal water consumption has uncovered a variety of interesting growth patterns. This study examines municipal water usage over time for Halifax, Nova Scotia, the thirteenth largest metropolitan economy in the Canada. Results from a dynamic error correction modeling approach estimated using quarterly frequency data indicate that municipal water consumption reacts in statistically significant manners to changes in real price, per capita employment levels, and hot weather. Parameter estimates further indicate that any disequilibria in consumption tend to dissipate very quickly in Halifax. As in other regions, the number of utility customers is affected by demographic and labor market variables. RésuméRecherches empiriques récentes ont trouvé une variété de tendances qui existent dans la consommation d'eau au niveau municipal. Cette étude analyse la consommation d'eau au fil du temps, à Halifax, en Nouvelle-Écosse, le treizième plus grande économie métropolitaine au Canada. Les résultats d'une modèle dynamique de correction d'erreurs, estimée avec des données trimestrielles indiquent que la consommation d'eau réagit de manières statistiquement significatives aux variations des prix réels, l'emploi, et le climat. Les paramètres estimés indiquent que tout déséquilibre de la consommation à Halifax est éliminé assez rapidement. Tout comme dans d'autres régions, le nombre de consommateurs d'eau est affecté par la démographie et par le marché du travail.