A new proposal for the construction of a multi-period/multilateral price index

Price indexes in time and space is a most relevant topic in statistical analysis from both the methodological and the application side. In this paper a price index providing a novel and effective solution to price indexes over several periods and among several countries, that is in both a multi-period and a multilateral framework, is devised. The reference basket of the devised index is the union of the intersections of the baskets of all periods/countries in pairs. As such, it provides a broader coverage than usual indexes. Index closed-form expressions and updating formulas are provided and properties investigated. Last, applications with real and simulated data provide evidence of the performance of the index at stake.