Sources of Economic Fluctuations in Latin America and Implications for Choice of Exchange Rate Regimes

Sources of Economic Fluctuations in Latin America and Implications for Choice of Exchange Rate Regimes PDF Author: Shaghil Ahmed
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Foreign exchange rates
Languages : en
Pages : 0

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Book Description
This paper studies the sources of economic fluctuations in three key Latin American countries (Argentina, Brazil, and Mexico) using a dynamic panel model, distinguishing between external and domestic shocks. The primary motivation is to examine the implications for the choice of monetary and exchange rate regimes, including dollarization. The results do not provide a strong, clear case in favor of a particular policy choice. On the one hand, foreign output shocks, including those of the U.S., appear to have a quite limited role in driving output fluctuations in these Latin countries; this absence of common shocks undermines the case for a rigidly fixed exchange rate regime. On the other hand, the historical experience of these countries indicates that real exchange rates are not very responsive to external shocks, in general, and that exchange rate depreciations tend to be contractionary in the short run. This suggests that rigidity of exchange rates may not be as costly for these countries as economic theory leads us to expect. Although the historical experience of these countries is certainly relevant, the caveat that it is characterized by several failed fixed exchange rate regimes, thereby making it a less-than-ideal testing ground for evaluating a pure floating exchange rate system, should be noted.

Sources of Economic Fluctuations in Latin America and Implications for Choice of Exchange Rate Regimes

Sources of Economic Fluctuations in Latin America and Implications for Choice of Exchange Rate Regimes PDF Author: Shaghil Ahmed
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Foreign exchange rates
Languages : en
Pages : 0

Get Book

Book Description
This paper studies the sources of economic fluctuations in three key Latin American countries (Argentina, Brazil, and Mexico) using a dynamic panel model, distinguishing between external and domestic shocks. The primary motivation is to examine the implications for the choice of monetary and exchange rate regimes, including dollarization. The results do not provide a strong, clear case in favor of a particular policy choice. On the one hand, foreign output shocks, including those of the U.S., appear to have a quite limited role in driving output fluctuations in these Latin countries; this absence of common shocks undermines the case for a rigidly fixed exchange rate regime. On the other hand, the historical experience of these countries indicates that real exchange rates are not very responsive to external shocks, in general, and that exchange rate depreciations tend to be contractionary in the short run. This suggests that rigidity of exchange rates may not be as costly for these countries as economic theory leads us to expect. Although the historical experience of these countries is certainly relevant, the caveat that it is characterized by several failed fixed exchange rate regimes, thereby making it a less-than-ideal testing ground for evaluating a pure floating exchange rate system, should be noted.

Determinants of the Choice of Exchange Rate Regimes in Six Central American Countries

Determinants of the Choice of Exchange Rate Regimes in Six Central American Countries PDF Author: Mr.Michael G. Papaioannou
Publisher: International Monetary Fund
ISBN: 1451847963
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 29

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Book Description
This paper examines whether decisions about the appropriate exchange rate regime in six Central American countries were based on longer-run economic fundamentals or on the confluence of historical and political circumstances. To uncover any actual relationship both across countries and across time, we estimate several probit and multinomial logit models of exchange rate regime choice with data spanning the period 1974-2001. We find that theoretical long-run determinants, such as trade openness, export share with the major trading partner, economic size, and per capita income, are adequate, but not robust, predictors of exchange rate regime choice. However, we were not able to establish a statistically significant association between the terms of trade fluctuations or capital account openness and a particular regime in any specification using our sample.

An Evaluation of Monetary Regime Options for Latin America

An Evaluation of Monetary Regime Options for Latin America PDF Author: Andrew Berg
Publisher: International Monetary Fund
ISBN:
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 114

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Book Description
We assess monetary regime options for Latin American countries. The costs of a common currency are likely to outweigh its benefits, as those countries face diverse economic shocks, do not trade much with each other, and are affected by common international financial shocks only to the same extent as the average pair of emerging markets. Unilateral dollarization would be desirable only for those countries where there are strong links to the U.S. economy, the credibility of the monetary authorities is irreversibly lost, and there is keen demand for dollar-denominated financial assets. Finally, some countries in the region seem to be good candidates for meaningful and useful floating.

Foreign Exchange Intervention in Inflation Targeters in Latin America

Foreign Exchange Intervention in Inflation Targeters in Latin America PDF Author: Mr.Marcos d Chamon
Publisher: International Monetary Fund
ISBN: 1484375688
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 320

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Book Description
Foreign exchange intervention is widely used as a policy tool, particularly in emerging markets, but many facets of this tool remain limited, especially in the context of flexible exchange rate regimes. The Latin American experience can be informative because some of its largest countries adopted floating exchange rate regimes and inflation targeting while continuing to intervene in foreign exchange markets. This edited volume reviews detailed accounts from several Latin American countries’ central banks, and it provides insight into how and with what aim many interventions were decided and implemented. This book documents the effectiveness of intervention and pays special attention to the role of foreign exchange intervention policy within inflation-targeting monetary frameworks. The main lesson from Latin America’s foreign exchange interventions, in the context of inflation targeting, is that the region has had a considerable degree of success. Transparency and a clear communication policy have been key. For economies that are not highly dollarized, rules-based intervention helped contain financial instability and build international reserves while preserving inflation targets. The Latin American experience can help other countries in the design and implementation of their policies.

How Do Exchange Rate Regimes Affect Firms' Incentives to Hedge Currency Risk? Micro Evidence for Latin America

How Do Exchange Rate Regimes Affect Firms' Incentives to Hedge Currency Risk? Micro Evidence for Latin America PDF Author: Herman Kamil
Publisher: International Monetary Fund
ISBN: 1463939051
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 54

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Book Description
Using a unique dataset with information on the currency composition of firms' assets and liabilities in six Latin-American countries, I investigate how the choice of exchange rate regime affects firms' foreign currency borrowing decisions and the associated currency mismatches in their balance sheets. I find that after countries switch from pegged to floating exchange rate regimes, firms reduce their levels of foreign currency exposures, in two ways. First, they reduce the share of debt contracted in foreign currency. Second, firms match more systematically their foreign currency liabilities with assets denominated in foreign currency and export revenues--effectively reducing their vulnerability to exchange rate shocks. More broadly, the study provides novel evidence on the impact of exchange rate regimes on the level of un-hedged foreign currency debt in the corporate sector and thus on aggregate financial stability.

The Economic Development of Latin America in the Twentieth Century

The Economic Development of Latin America in the Twentieth Century PDF Author: André A. Hofman
Publisher: Edward Elgar Publishing
ISBN:
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 344

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Book Description
Hofman, a researcher with the Chile-based Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean, uses growth accounting methods and previously unavailable long-term series data to assess the economic performance of the region during the century from a comparative and historical perspective. In particular he compares Latin American economies to those of advanced capitalist economies, to newly industrialized economies, and to Spain and Portugal because of the historical ties. He looks at the reasons for the poor or negative growth during the 1980s and the apparent recovery in the 1990s and at such problems as debt, income inequality, high inflation, cyclical instability, and political and policy instability. Annotation copyrighted by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

Regional Integration and the Issue of Choosing an Appropriate Exchange-rate Regime in Latin America

Regional Integration and the Issue of Choosing an Appropriate Exchange-rate Regime in Latin America PDF Author: Hubert Escaith
Publisher: United Nations Publications
ISBN:
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 56

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Book Description


Modern Exchange-rate Regimes, Stabilisation Programmes and Co-ordination of Macroeconomic Policies

Modern Exchange-rate Regimes, Stabilisation Programmes and Co-ordination of Macroeconomic Policies PDF Author: Maria Luiza Falcão Silva
Publisher: Ashgate Publishing
ISBN:
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 360

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Book Description
This work analyzes the phenomenon of macroeconomic adjustment, with special emphasis on selected Latin American countries facing stabilization programmes. It provides a historical description of the origins, functioning and collapse of exchange-rate regimes from the international classical gold standard period to modern arrangements. The author supports the argument that systemic asymmetries in the worldwide adjustment mechanism are inherent in the international monetary system.

Evolution and Performance of Exchange Rate Regimes

Evolution and Performance of Exchange Rate Regimes PDF Author: Mr.Kenneth Rogoff
Publisher: International Monetary Fund
ISBN: 1451875843
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 85

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Book Description
Using recent advances in the classification of exchange rate regimes, this paper finds no support for the popular bipolar view that countries will tend over time to move to the polar extremes of free float or rigid peg. Rather, intermediate regimes have shown remarkable durability. The analysis suggests that as economies mature, the value of exchange rate flexibility rises. For countries at a relatively early stage of financial development and integration, fixed or relatively rigid regimes appear to offer some anti-inflation credibility gain without compromising growth objectives. As countries develop economically and institutionally, there appear to be considerable benefits to more flexible regimes. For developed countries that are not in a currency union, relatively flexible exchange rate regimes appear to offer higher growth without any cost in credibility.

Inflation Targeting and Exchange Rate Management In Less Developed Countries

Inflation Targeting and Exchange Rate Management In Less Developed Countries PDF Author: Mr. Marco Airaudo
Publisher: International Monetary Fund
ISBN: 1475523165
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 65

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Book Description
We analyze coordination of monetary and exchange rate policy in a two-sector model of a small open economy featuring imperfect substitution between domestic and foreign financial assets. Our central finding is that management of the exchange rate greatly enhances the efficacy of inflation targeting. In a flexible exchange rate system, inflation targeting incurs a high risk of indeterminacy where macroeconomic fluctuations can be driven by self-fulfilling expectations. Moreover, small inflation shocks may escalate into much larger increases in inflation ex post. Both problems disappear when the central bank leans heavily against the wind in a managed float.