Market Power, Efficiency, and Upstream Effects: Disentangling Multiple Merger Effects on Retail Gasoline Price

Date:

Seminar HP

日時/Date and Time

  • 2025年7月10日(木) 5:20PM-6:50PM

要旨/Abstract

This study examines the market power and efficiency effects of a merger on retail prices in an industry characterized by vertical relationships. As a case study, we analyze the largescale merger between vertically integrated petroleum firms in Japan. Leveraging geographical variation across local markets, we employ a difference-in-differences approach. The results suggest that the market power effect increased retail gasoline prices, while the efficiency effect did not lead to a significant price reduction. Moreover, the market power effect was more pronounced in markets with independent retailers, where the merging firm had both the incentive and the ability to adopt a raising rivals’ costs strategy. These findings suggest that vertical industry structures can exacerbate anti-competitive effects in downstream markets.

場所/Venue

  • 場所:2号館11階経済学部会議室B

  • Venue: 11th Floor, Bldg. No.2 Meeting Room B

言語/Language

  • 日本語/Japanese