The new concept of a local cut is shown to lead to natural separate in
ference in cases where no formal statistical justification for such pr
ocedures exists using conventional concepts. Examples include the pane
l data model with Bred effects, the capital asset pricing model, the c
ointegration model and the prototypal job search model. An interpretat
ion of local cuts in sufficiently smooth settings in terms of the fami
liar Edgeworth expansion is provided.