Other hits recorded at this session were " Suspicious Minds", " Kentucky Rain", and " Don't Cry Daddy". It was Presley's first creative recording session since the Elvis '68 Comeback Special. "In the Ghetto" was recorded during Presley's session in the American Sound Studio in Memphis, Tennessee. The version recorded by Presley is played in the key of B flat. The lyrics to the song were written by country music songwriter and singer Mac Davis.
Factor a possible war among or between nations and a possible financial crisis, and the Big Mac Index may never achieve parity. Wage costs and further trade restrictions between nations can also skew the longer-term implications for the Big Mac Index as well as the cost of the Big Mac.
The cost of goods and commodity prices may be quite different depending on the nation, which may skew not only the Big Mac Index but also the original cost of the Big Mac in a given location. This can erode prices where high inflation exists. Also, inflation is never the same between nations. This tax must be valued with any transportation costs. Factor in the hidden costs involved between nations and the index can remain skewed for many, many years.įor example, many nations institute a value-added tax, or a tax on goods at the border. Therefore, the comparison of the Big Mac Index is apples to oranges where prices may never equalize and parity may never be achieved. Prices of Big Macs may not even remain constant within nations. Compare this to the prices of a Big Mac, which is market driven, and you can see how flawed the Big Mac Index can be. This is a constant revenue stream and a means for emerging market nations to become competitive in the world market.Īnother conundrum for the long term is the measure of the trade-weighted average, which can remain a constant for many years. One reason for this is that some nations undervalue their currency purposefully, especially if they are export-dependent, to aid their exporters and earn more in foreign reserves. Longer terms may see deviations in prices last for many years without a guaranteed means of achieving real parity. Prior research suggests short-term durations will never achieve parity because the short length of time will never equalize prices.